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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

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UNITED STATES OF A3IEKK'A. 







% '^,cL440<i^^ 



LIVINGSTON 



AND THE 



TOMATO. 



BEING THE HISTORY OF EXPERIENCES IN DISCOVERING 
THE CHOICE VARIETIES INTRODUCED BY HIM, 

WITH 

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR GROWERS. 



/ BY 

A. W. LIVINGSTON. 







PUELISHED BY 

A. W. Livingston's Sons. Seedmen, 

COLUMBUS, OHIO. 






Entered according to the act of Congress, in the year 1893, by 

A. W. LIVINGSTON, 

In ihe otttco of the Lil)rarian of Congress at Washington. 



PRESS OF 

Journal-Gazette Printing House, 
coluvbus, ohio. 



INDEX. 



No. 


1. 


No. 


2, 


No. 


3. 


No. 


4. 


No. 


5, 


No. 


6, 


No. 


7, 


No. 


8, 


No. 


9. 



PAGE 

I. Sketch of Author's Life, ...... 9 

II. Introduction — Author, ...... 17 

PARAGRAPHS BY NUMBER. 

The First Tomato I Kver Saw, . . . . . 19 

My Aim, 20 

My Methods, 22 

Livingston's Paragon Tojnato, .... 24 

Livingston's Acme Tomato, ..... 25 

6. Livingston's Perfection Tomato, .... 27 

7. Livingston's Golden Queen Tomato, .... 29 

8. Livingston's Favorite Tomato, .... 30 
Livingston's Beauty Tomato, ..... 31 

No. 10. SelHng Under Seal, 34 

No. 11. Livingston's Potato-Leaf Tomato, .... 35 

No. 12. Livingston's Stone Tomato, ..... 37 

No. 13. Livingston's Royal Red Tomato, .... 38 

No. 14. Livingston's Gold Ball Tomato, .... 39 

No. 15. Livingston's Buckeye State Tomato, ... 41 

No. 16. Livingston's Dwarf Aristocrat Tomato, ... 42 

No. 17. Livingston's Large Rose Peach Tomato, ... 44 

No. 18. Will your varieties ''Run Out?" .... 46 

No. 19. Can we Cro.ss kinds and get New Ones? ... 47 
No. 20. Can Distinct Varieties be Cultivated into Different 

''Strains?" . ' 49 

No. 21. Selected Stock-Seed, 51 

No. 22. Can Farmers and Market-Gardeners Grow their own 

Seed ? 54 

No. 23. Hints to American Seed Trade Association, . . 57 

No. 24. Profits on a Tomato Crop, 60 

No. 25. Selection of Kinds to Plant, 63 

No. 26. Kinds for Shippers, ....... 64 

No. 27. Kinds for Home Uses, . . ' . . 64 

No. 28. Kinds for Market-Gardeners, 65 

No. 29. Kinds for Canners, 65 



8 



INDEX. 



No. 30. Kinds for Catsups and Preserves, 

No. 31. Kinds to grow under Glass, . . . . 

No. 32. Sowing Seed for Family Use, 

No. 33. Common Hotbeds, . . . . . 

No. 34. Sowing Seed in Hotbeds, .... 

No. 35. More Extended Hotbeds, . . . . 

No. 36. A Circular Hotbed, 

No. 37. Cold-Frames, . . _ . 

No. 38. Preparation of Soil in the Open Field, 

No. 39. The Marker 

No. 40. Transplanting into Open Field, . 
No. 41. Implements for Cultivation, . . . . 
No. 42. Culture of Field Crop, .... 

No. 43. Mulching Tomatoes, . . . . . 
No. 44. Pruning on Down-Culture, 

No. 45. ''Staking Up," 

No. 46. "Tying Up," 

No. 47. Trimming, or Pruning, ..... 

No. 48. Growing in Barrels, 

No. 49. Trellising, 

No. 50. Culture under Glass, .... 

No. 51. Enemies, Diseases, Eemedies, 

No. 52. " Damping OftV' 

No. 53. Cutworms, 

No. 54. Colorado Potato Bugs, .... 

No. 55. The Tobacco Worm, ..... 

No. 56. Blight, 

No. 57. Black Rot, . . . . ■ . 

No. 58. The Borer AVorm, 

No. 59. Harvesting, Marketing, Shipping and Selling, 
No. 60. Harvesting, etc., for Shippers, 
No. 61. Harvesting, etc., for Short Distance Shippers, 
No. 62, Harvesting, etc., for Home Market-Gardeners, 
No. 63. The Uses of the Tomato, .... 

No. 64. The Extent of Tomato Culture and Trade, 



PAGE 

65 

65 

66 

70 

72 

74 

77 

78 

82 

83 

87 

92 

93 

95 

95 

96 

97 

101 

104 

105 

111 

115 

115 

116 

117 

118 

120 

122 

125 

126 

127 

131 

131 

137 

157 



Note.— See Alphabetical Index at the eud of the book. 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 



■\/T R. A. W. LIYI:N'GST0:N' belongs to that 
/ \ honorable race of people known in America 
as the Scotch-Irish. His parents came from 
Cambridge, l^ew York, to Reynolclsbnrg, Franklin 
County, Ohio, — ten miles east of Columbus, the capital 
city. The country was a wild wilderness of primeval 
forests at that time — 1815 ; and required the labor of a 
generation or two of hardy pioneers to clear away. 

He was born in 1822, and reared to a Hfe of pion- 
eer farming. School privileges were very limited then, 
but he learned to spell, read and write well, to " cipher 
in arithmetic as far as the Rule of Three;" and he 
often relates how he was privileged to study grammar 
for half a day. 

At seventeen years of age his mother died, leaving 
him at a time when early manhood rejoices in the need- 
ed sympathies which a mother can best extend. The 
good Book explains it, "as one whom his mother com- 
forteth." 

When twenty-one years old he went to work for a 
gardener of the place. He hired to work four months, 
at eight dollars per month, only a little over thirty cents 
a day. Here he received and noted valuable items of 
information which his ready mind quickly grasped, and 



10 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 

made the basis of calculations for the future. Indeed, it 
is one of the most striking characteristics of his mind 
that he was a close observer of all things that passed be- 
fore his eyes. Everything different from what he had 
before seen was always noted; and it was followed up 
to the last change that might possibly occur to it, so 
painstaking was he to be accurate in these things. If a 
bird flew over his head having a new color or note of 
song he observed it, and watched it ever after to learn 
all that could be known of its habits. If a worm 
<jrawled beneath his feet he did not despise it ; but noted 
all its goings and doings, and often became, for wise 
ends, the defender of those which all sought to kill. 
Insects, too, claimed his attention. If the Katydid sang 
in the same bush every evening for several months, he 
did not accept the statements of the learned who say 
(as in Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, The American 
Encyclopedia, and in ^Natural Histories) that it is the 
well-known large green grasshopper. It makes only 
similar noises to other grasshoppers, and it hops here and 
everywhere, never returning to the same place again at 
nightfall ; while the Katydid is never seen but is always 
heard, there in the same bush or tree, from night to 
night, with her unchanging note, " Ka-ty-did " and 
*' Ka-ty-did-n't." He takes nothing second-handed 
which he can prove for himself; and these tests he pros- 
ecutes with willfully persevering patience and zest. His 
interest was always keen in all kinds of plants and 
weeds. He was at an early age recognized among 
neighbors and friends as authority on them, because of 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 11 

the closeness and accuracy of his observations. Beinff 
of such a turn, and when he reached his majority Avork- 
ing for a gardener and seed-grower, no doubt made a 
deep impression upon his active mind and gave it an 
earlv bias and taste for that kind of business. He did 
not then think of becoming a seed-grower himself. 

For some months longer he worked by the day at 
chopping, ditching, general farming, or anything that 
came to hand, never receiving above fifty cents a day for 
his work, but never lying idle. Truly times have 
changed for the better, though some discontented people 
are saying, " Oh, what hard times these are I " By this 
time he had grown to be a large, strong man physically, 
having excellent health. He had also a sunny, gener- 
erous, sanguine disposition. 

At twenty-three years of age he married Miss 
Matilda Graham, a farmer's daughter, not blessed with 
more of this world's goods than himself, but rich in 
health, womanly grace, and that sound good sense 
which made her an helpmeet indeed. This union was 
blessed in due time by ten children — seven sons and 
three daughters — the oldest dying in infancy and the 
rest still living, and most of them engaged in some de- 
partment of the seed trade. 

Mr. Livingston, about a year later, leased a farm of 
one hundred and thirteen acres for one hundred and 
fifty dollars per year. He engaged in farming, 
trading in stock, growing seed for the trade, and mak- 
ing experiments with vegetables in order to test his 
ideas about them ; these were of s^reat value in later 



12 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 

^a^ars. This consumed eleven years of his life, but the 
range of experience tli rough which he passed during^ 
that time let liim learn the ways of tlie world, and aided 
him to master the business which was soon to claim his 
closest attention. By tliis time he had accumulated 
enough to purchase a farm of lifty acres ; and about the 
same time the seed-grower and dealer for whom he had 
formerly labored concluded to move to Iowa. He 
bought from him four hun(h'ed boxes of garden seeds, 
then out on commission. lie quit farming altogether 
and embarked in the garden seed business exclusively. 
For twenty years this commission business steadily in- 
creased, until in 1877 he had four thousand four hundred 
b(X\es out in Ohio and the several surrounding States. 
Duriiig these long years he continued his studies in 
the processes of nature, and kept on with careful exper- 
iments to secure new and improved vegetables, such as 
the trade demanded. He visited many state and county 
fail's, learning what he could, and spent hundreds of 
dollars to get personally acquainted Avith growers, and 
to know the special needs of market gardeners in all 
parts of the countrv. Whenever he introduced anv- 
thing new and gave it his endorsement as a good thing, 
the leading seedsmen of the country gladly catalogued 
them, and do so still. One of them bought enough of 
trial packets, of twenty-tive seeds each, to raise live 
hundred pounds of seed from them the iirst year, icith- 
out having seen them, but solely uj^on Mr. Livingston's rep- 
utation. Such substantial endorsement of his integrity 
and ability has always been received with gratitude 
toward his competitors in the same line of trade. 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 13 

Owing to the severe losses of 76 and '77, well w- 
membered by seedsmen selling on commission through 
the merchants of the country, Mr. Livingston concluded 
to quit the commission business altogether, and sell di- 
rect to growers. He therefore moved to Columbus, O., 
and there made arrangements to carry out those plans, 
because he could from this point reach two-thirds of the 
United States in twenty-four hours. His motto from 
the first was, '^ Give every man the worth of his money," 
with the idea that he would be thus (on merit) secured 
as a permanent customer. Subsequent events have 
shown this to have been a wise move for all concerned. 
He also grew specialties on contract for other prominent 
seedsmen, who appreciated new vegetables of un- 
doubted merit, and whose customers were willing to pay 
well for them with their endorsement. 

After a few years of this work, his sons having en- 
tire charge of the business in Ohio, he set his eye upon 
the virgin soils of Iowa, with a view of enlarging this 
department of the seed business there. He moved in 
1880 to the growing city of Des Moines, Iowa. Here 
he tested the suitability of the soil and location for seed 
growing, and found it to be most excellent for many 
kinds, and then hoi>ed, with the consent of the firm, 
A. AV. Livingston's Sons of Columbus, 0., to have all 
moved in time to the new and thrifty ^Vest. 

However, under the safe and upright management 
of his son Robert, the business in Ohio grew so rapidly 
and became so remunerative, that all thought o\' remov- 
ina' it West was abandoned bv the above firm. But 



14 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 

being in Iowa himself, and several sons with him, and 
the soil so rich and easy to work, Mr. Livingston con-, 
sidered it w^ise to remain there, and with them engage 
in seed raising, which he did for nearly ten years. He 
finally aided and encouraged a younger son, Josiah Liv- 
ingston, to commence in the seed business there in 
Iowa's capital city. 

Most of the tin^e since he quit the commission busi- 
ness has been spent in experimenting Avith new varie- 
ties, and introducing them to the public as soon as 
found fixed in type and habit of growth ; and also hav- 
ing sufiicient distinctness to entitle them to a new place 
and a new name. The account of his experiences in the 
Tomato line will be found in greater detail in the early 
paragraphs of this volume. The whole responsibility of 
the business has now for some years been in the hands 
of his sons and their o^rowers. Bv this means, and since 
the departure of his wife a few years ago, Mr. Livings- 
ton was given what he had always desired, ojyportiniity 
to travel everywhere, sell seeds, and learn more about thehusi- 
ness in his own ynatchless way — especially what was needed 
for market-gardeners. The reader cannot fail to see that, 
by nature, by experience, and by application, Mr. Liv- 
ingston is fully qualified to do what he tells us he has 
done in the body of this book ; and that we have reason 
to expect that his hints, directions, and advices on To- 
mato Culture will be both practical and lucretive. 

Although he was so busy all his life with the work 
of his choice, he found time to be one of the foremost 
men of his community in all matters of public interest. 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 15 

In hospitality, needed improvements, larger educational 
facilities, and disinterested liberality, he never to"ok a 
second place. In the advanced reforms of his times, 
and in the political concerns of his country, he kept him- 
self well-informed to date. He was no mean antao:onist 
to meet in a hand to hand argument on the living ques- 
tions of the day. He was not afraid to take advanced 
grounds on all important matters, but he was so good- 
natured himself, so fair in his treatment of those who 
radically diftered from him, that only in a few instances 
did any one ever get angry at him because of his utter- 
ances. He aimed to make what he said consistent Avith 
what he did. 

From early life he w^as connected in full member- 
ship with the United Presbyterian Church, and has been 
an honored officer in it almost ever since. Jfever is 
there a meeting of any kind in his home congi'egation, 
which is not blessed with his presence, counsels, and 
prayers. He is a man of large sympathies and vast ex- 
periences. Little children run to meet him, young people 
confide to him their secrets, all love to see him coming, 
for they will learn something useful in life, and nothing 
done for his comfort will escape his notice or evade his 
high appreciation. 



INTRODUCTION. 



IT has not \)vvu u\\ piii'[»()sc' to write an I'xliaustivc 
work on this incroasinii'ly populai- iVnit and vegetable. 
My aim has been to aid the seedsmen. ^Towers, and ran- 
ners, to know what time, hd)or, cdose api-lieation, and 
experience in the iiehl have i-evealed to me that is pi-ae- 
tieal and Ibi- their advanta^'e in Tomato enUni'e. Many 
thinii's will not he new to the experienced <j:\\)\\v\\ and 
ouii'ht not to he; hnt si.me thin<;s will he novel and nse- 
fnl to many of my readei's. 

I express my indel)tedness to my fellow-seedsmen, 
with many of whom, in ditterent parts of the eonntiy, 1 
have exehani;-ed ideas and experiences ahniii ihr Toniafu, 
with all freedom. Wliile we do not endorse all the con- 
clusions to whicli experimenters come, and [>uhlish in 
tlieir Bulletins, yet we stronii'ly i'n(h)rse the work in 
which they are eni>-a,ii-ed, and acknowledge nuuiy useful 
suii'irestions from them, to some of which we give place 
here. It would l)e vastly better for growers if they 
were, for all kinds of crops, to take advantage of these 
publie aids provided for their special benefit by the 
States in which they live. Many good points I have 
had lirst suii'tcested to my mind by the frankness with 



18 INTRODUCTION. 

which our customers relate tlieir experiences with their 
crops. Especially do I acknowledge the aid from grow- 
ers whose ideas and conclusions I have included here 
with my OAvn, in order to get to my attentive reader the 
greatest amount of knowledge in the most readable 
shape. 

Trustino; that whoever is inliuenced bv these pao-es 
may reap as the fruits of his labor an abundant harvest, 
I submit this little book to the thoughtful consideration 
of my readers. 

The Author. 

Columbus, Ohio. 




l£)i\}in|sfon and tl7e (pomafoes. 



1. The First Tomato I Ever Saw. — Well do I 
remember the lirst tomato I ever saw. I was ten years 
old, and was running down one of those old-fashioned 
Uines, on either side of which was tlie high rail fence, 
then so tamiliar to all Ohio people. Its rosy cheeks 
lio:hted up one of these fence-corners, and arrested my 
youthful attention. 

I quickly gathered a few of them in my liands, and 
took them to my mother to ask, ''What they were?" 
As soon as she saw me with them, she cried out, " You 
must not eat them, my child. They must be poison, for 
even the hogs will not eat them." 

"But what are they, mother?" I asked. 

"Some call them 'Jerusalem Apples;' others say 
they are 'Love Apples;' but, now mind, you are not to 
eat them. You may go and put them on the mantel, 
they are only fit to be seen for their beauty." 

This I did, adding purple and yellow ones to this 
red one, and soon had (piite a collection on display. 
The wild tomatoes bore small, hollow, tough, soiir, 
watery fruit. They were no more like the new and 



20 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

improved varieties of to-day tlian the Pennyroyal cattle 
then, were like the Shorthorns now seen in onr pastures 
everywhere. 

From that earh^ date the tomato became an object 
of special interest to me. Little did I then think, or for 
man}^ years afterwards, that it was destined to make my 
name famous among seedsmen, market gardeners, ean- 
ners, and horticulturists the world over, ^or could I 
any better foresee that it would furnish myself, my 
children, and my children's children, the necessaries and 
many of the comforts of life. 

Thus it ever is: Dame Nature richly rew^ards those 
who keep close to her methods of operation, and who 
are not ashamed to remain tied to her apron-strings. 

As the years passed by reckless people began to 
eat them, and as it became generally known that they 
were not poisonous, they came into more general use. 
'New and slightly improved kinds were soon put on the 
market; but all ettorts in this line for years did not get 
anything other than rough, imperfect fruits. 

2. My Aim. — Years had come and gone with me, 
as the reader will see by reference to the sketch of my 
life in the opening of this book. My aim from the first 
was to grow tomatoes smooth in contour, uniform in 
size, and better flavored. Here my habits of close ob- 
servation upon the processes of nature in all matters of 
reproduction stood me in good hand, but were not equal 
to the task l)y the method which I tried at first. For I 
tried the best kinds then known to the public, and se- 



MY AIM. 21 

looted from these suoli specimen tomatoes as approaolied 
in qualities what was needed, or was in demand. The 
seed from these were oarefully saved, and when })lanted 
were g-ivon the best oultivation possible, hoping in this 
way to attain what I desired. After lifteen years of 
the most sorupulous oaro and labor of this kind, I Avas 
no nearer the goal than when I started in the raoe. Ao- 
oording to laws of life, now well known, but wliioh I did 
not then understand, such stock-seed would reproduce 
every trace of their ancestry, viz., thin-ileshed, rough, 
and undesirable fruits. I ran this method through all 
its changes, for the demand was constantly increasing,, 
and I desired to get a distinct variety that would have 
good qualities and produce after its kind. Like many 
others who were striving for the same thing, I wanted 
it very badly. 

Some improvements, however, Vv^ere attained, but 
mostly by improved conditions only, and as soon as- 
gained in the least degree, they were i)ut upon the mar- 
ket under various names; such were the Fejee, the 
Perfected, the Conqueror, the Canada Victor, the Tilden^ 
the Trophy, and others. "With these, with my own, and 
Avith any others I could get hold of that promised me 
any gain, I tried again and again by varied selections of 
specimens and good cultivation, to attain the desired 
end. But I tailed altoo^ether. After such lono- and re- 
peated failures it was with little hope that I turned to 
other methods.. I did not like to give up, '^whipped out 
entirely," in any matter I had set my mind and lieart 
upon, as I had in this thing; and I reasoned that I might 



22 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

botter 1)0 trying wliati'vor came to luiiid to do, than to 
do nothing. So I kept a watehfnl eye upon my fields 
foi' any ^^lead'mfis'' that promised to afford me the 
smooth, well-iiavored fruit, as we see it now in all the 
markets of the world. 

3. My New Method. — AVhether this method I 
liere describe was new to others at that time (iu the 
Sixties) I did not know, but it was altogether new to 
me; in fact it was a \)\\vq discovery on my part. Let my 
readers note that an ounce of experience is worth a ton 
of theorizing. I am giving actual experiences. The 
learned or unlearned may alike think as they will, but I 
know I got what no living man had before. There was 
not in the United States at that time an acre of toma- 
toes from Avhich a bushel of uniforndy smooth tomatoes 
could be gathered, as they are uoav grown everywhere. 
I know, also, that I secured this result by the method I 
hereafter describe. I know, too, tliat I can re}»eat the 
process at will, securing new varieties which will again 
produce after their kind; and, at least, under my cultiva- 
tion, will never deteriorate, or ^^run out." For they are 
ORIGINAL, DISTINCT VARIETIES, and will bring forth their 
like, as will anything else ; and they are as capable of 
being cultivated into '^ strains'' as are those of cattle, 
hogs, chickens, or other plants and fruits of distinct kinds. 
The same laws of life and breeding govern tomatoes 
as in any other form of life, for all the processes of 

nature are so simple that few will believe them, even 
when they are pointed out to them. With these pre- 
liminarv remarks I describe. mv new method. 



MY NEW METHOD. 23 

In passing' ovor my tieUls of growing- tonnitoes, 
which were still of all sizes, sorts and shapes, niv atten- 
tion was attracted to a tomato plant havino- distinct 
characteristics, and bearing lieavj foliage. It was unlike 
any other in the field, or that I had ever seen. It 
showed itself very i)rolitic, its fruit was uniformly 
smooth, but too small to be of general market value. 
As I examined it closely, observing how alike every to- 
mato was on the stalk, wishing they were larger, and 
meditated over its possibilities long, it came to me like 
an inspiration, "why not select special tomato plants 
instead of specimen tomatoes." At any rate,^ I acted at 
once on this idea. The seeds from this plant were saved 
with pains-taking care, and made the basis of future 
experiments. The next spring, from these seeds, I set 
two rows across my garden — about forty rods long each 
— and to my glad surprise they all bore perfect tomatoes 
like the parent vine. I felt that 

My ])attle was hall" won, 
My race, too, half run. 

They were a little hirger, for which I also rejoiced, as I 
hoped to bring them up by choice cultivation to what 
would now be considered a medium-sized tomato, which 
I then thought, and still think, to be the most profitable 
size. The seeds from this crop were again carefully 
harvested, hut from the first ripe and best specimens I 
selected stock for my ow^n planting. By good cultiva- 
tion and wise selection from season to season, not to 
exceed five years, it took on flesh, size, and improved 



24 



LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 



qualities. I then put it on the general market. This 
was in 1870. Although grown and sold extensively all 
these years to date, and although cultivated into various 
'^strains" by different growers according to their partic- 
ular fancies, it is to-day the same distinct variety which 
it was at the lirst. On account of its superior excellence 
in comparison with all others in the market at that 
time, I called it "The Paragon Tomato." 




PARAGON TOMATO. 



4. Livingston's Paragon Tomato. — It was the 

first perfectly and uniformly smooth tomato ever in- 
troduced to the American public, or, so far as I have 
ever learned, the first introduced to the world. In color 
it is a blood red. It has a strong, vigorous stalk; heavy 
foliage ; is a very hardy plant ; will bear shipping of its 
plants well; grows shoots or branches near the roots 



LIVINGSTON S PARAGON TOMATO. 25 

later in the season, wliicli bring a late crop equal in 
size, quality, and evenness of ripening, to that grown 
earlier on the center stem; and with its heavy foliage it 
endures early frosts longer, and still produces crops 
w^hen the price is usually good. It is very prolific, a 
little late, but is a most popular tomato as the annual 
sales of seeds still show. From the very first of its his- 
tory to this day, where acres were planted not a rough 
or inferior tomato could be found in the entire fields. 

This discovery, like all others, soon produced a 
revolution. As a general field-crop tomato culture had 
been of little general interest up to this date. To be 
sure, Mr. Harrison W. Crosby canned and sold the to- 
mato as for back as the year 1848, but that Avhich 
caused it to increase phenomenally, and rival the potato 
as a profitable crop to grow, was the discovery of the 
Paragon, and the universally smooth varieties that fol- 
lowed it. With these, tomato culture began at once to 
be one of the great enterprises of the country. Demands 
of market gardeners soon called for other varieties,, 
which I supplied as they became clearly defined to me. 

5. Livingston's Acme Tomato. — Several varie- 
ties of a pnrple color had gone upon our markets, such 
as the Fejee and the Perfected, with some others. They 
produced somewhat after their kinds, but always re- 
quired a liberal "culling out" of inferior specimens. 
Yet many market gardeners, especially in the Western 
States, became partial to a purple-colored tomato ; and 
this taste still prevails. As my Paragon was red, and 



2() 



LIVINGSTON AND THE TOxMATO. 



too late for early, and as 1 wislied to tiy^igain the meth- 
od by which I had discovered the Paragon, I set about 
to seen re an early purple tomato. I selected from a 
field of growing tomatoes, as before, a plant wliich bore 
small, uniform, early tomatoes, and Avhich liad its own 
peculiarly marked cliaracteristies ; such as recommended 
it to my judgment as l)eing tlie tomato to meet the de- 
mands of the trade at that time. I saved the seeds 




I'arefully, cultivated it up in a few 3'ears, and introduced 
it in 1875 as a perfectly new and distinct variety, under 
the name, " The Acme Tomato." 

It is lio'hter in foliao'e than that of the Paraxon, 
and much earlier. In fact it is the earliest of the uni- 
formly smooth A'arieties to the present time. A most care- 
ful ex[»erimenter says: ^'Last year the Acme was two 
days later than tlie Mayflower, this year it is seven days 



Livingston's acme tomato. 27 

earlier. Last year Acme was seven days earlier than 
Paragon, this year thirty days earlier. Last year it 
ripened wirh the Troi>hy, while this year it was eleven 
days earlier than all others." 

Other kinds will often have one or two "first early 
ripe" tomatoes on the stalk, while Aeme will he earlier 
and have a far greater numher of "first early" to the 
stalk than others. Mr. AVm. Meo-o^at, the wholesale seed- 
grower, sa3's, "In 1890 I tried Aeme with 115 other 
varieties, and fonnd the first ripe fruit on it." By spec- 
ial cultivation as described in Paragraphs 45, 49, it will 
show to still hetter advantas^e for earliness. 

It is of a bright purple color, very tender, and fine 
fleshed. It is specially grown for home uses, but is also 
a good general-purpose tomato. Many prefer it above 
all others. In fertility, foliage, growth, earliness, 
smoothness, size and color, its distinct type is clearly all 
it was seventeen years ago. In 1890 I grew some plants 
to test this matter, from stock seed of 1880 — ten years 
old ; and the result showed them to be exactly what 
they had been ten years before, viz., distinct and true to 
kind. They are, as stoclaiien Avould s^ay, " thorough- 
bred;" and, at least under our cultivation, show no dis- 
position to "?^i/jv oufy 

6. Livingston's Perfection Tomato. — I found in 
my Paragon and Acme fields while gi'owing, an occa- 
sional "sport" (as it were, one in a thousand), which 
was yet quite distinct from either of the above varieties. 
By experiine"nt I found that these retained their 



28 



LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 



peenliarities perfectly. The thouglit tlien occurred to 
me that I might secure improved kinds more easily and 
quickly than from lields of all sorts, as I had done in the 
other two already introduced. I was urged to secure a 
new tomato because a good shipper was in demand, for 
tomatoes were being shipped in large quantities from 
country towns and places into the hirge cities, and from 




LIVIN'(,.,sT(».\ s I'KHFECTJON. 



the far South into the Xortli. At any rate I selected a 
[)lant from a field of Acme (a purple tomato) and se- 
cured what is known everywhere as Livington's Perfec- 
tion Tomato — a blood red tomato — which I introduced 
in 1880. The stalk and foliage are lighter than those of 
the Paragon, but stronger than those of the Acme. The 
fruit is uniformly smooth like the others, only it is a 
little flatter from the stem to the blossom ends. Its 
blood red color is very desirable, meeting the fancies of 



LIVINGSTON S GOLDEN QUEEN TOMATO. 



29 



the public, especially in the Eastern markets. One par- 
ticular advantage it has as a shipper, is that it begins to 
show ripening several da^^s before it is fully ripe. It also 
has a thick, tough skin, which is not easily broken in 
transit. With this kind, inexperienced hands or pickers 
in the South, if directed to gather only those fully grown 
and showing a tinge of ri[>ening, can be employed to 
gather the fruit ; and the grower will not get it into the 
distant market green, Avilted or spotted. This is a good 
tomato for bulk of crop, almost anywhere and every- 
where. 




. . LIVINGSTON 8 GOLDEN (iUEEN. 

7. Livingston's Golden Queen Tomato. — In 

one of the county fairs which I often attended for the 
purpose of selling seeds, I saw a very pretty yellow to- 
mato. As I was examining it closely, and admiring it, 
the owner saw fit to make me a present of one of them, 
which I prized highly, and took special care to preserve, 
test and improve. I had it a number of years before I 



30 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

intro"cliiced it; but in 1882 I tliought it advisable to give 
it a wider circulation, and so advertised it extensively 
under the above name. It is of a bright golden yellow 
color, uniformly smooth, good size, most prolific, early 
ripening, and is a first-class, all-purpose tomato. It is 
admitted to be the best flavored tomato in existence. It 
is often used by the busy housewife when she puts 
sliced tomatoes on her table to good advantage, by al- 
ternating layers of this yellow witli red or purple varie- 
ties. It makes a dish, with proper seasoning, dainty 
and attractive enough for. a king. 

8. Livingston's Favorite Tomato. — By this time 
the fruit canning business had grown extensively, and 
tomatoes came in for a large share of this trade. I made 
it my business, as I traveled about the country, to learn 
the demands of these canning establishments, viz., what 
qualities in a toniato were peculiarly suited to their 
trade? Then, in order to meet the canners' desires, I 
selected from a field of Paragons a tomato quite distinct 
from it, as any one can see who grows them side by side 
in the field. This new tomato I improved, and intro- 
duced in 1883, naming it Livingston's Favorite Tomato. 

It is an early, blood-red, smooth, and most prolific 
tomato. It has no open spaces about the seeds in cavity^ 
or ridges and hollows from stem to blossom ends. It rip- 
ens evenly, is a solid, meaty tomato, and has thicker flesh 
parts, of finer fibre, than any other used up to that time. 
They are of fine, large size. One grower writes us from 
Wisconsin, '^ I grew them fourteen and a half inches in 



LIVINGSTON S FAVORITE TOMATO. 



31 



circumference." Another, from Maryland, says, "I put 
up 5,065 cases tomatoes oif of eighteen acres of your 
Favorites." A large canner in Iowa told us, " I get one 
and a lialf to two cans per bushel more from Living- 
ston's Favorites than from other tomatoes." He also 




Livingston's favorite. 



claimed that in a day's run of forty tlionsand cans this 
difference in favor of the Favorite made him over eight 
hundred extra cans above any other tomato he ever 
used. This one fact shows the importance of canners 
looking well after the kinds their growers raise for them. 

9. Livingston's Beauty Tomato. — I discovered 
that nearly all market gardeners, at least west of Penn- 
sylvania, were determined to have a purple-colored 



32 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

toiiiato for their trade. I had also learned that new kinds 
selected from the Paragon fields (a red-colored tomato) 
possessed more vigor of stalk, and preserved well all the 
other qualities so desirable in any tomato. I began to 
watch for a new tomato, which would be the market 
gardener's pride and profit. 

Being a practical gardener of many years' experi- 
ence myself, I liad much advantage over those who were 
only seedsmen, or mere experimenters, in knowing ex- 
actly what was needed to supply this demand; and I 
was not slow to take this advantage for the good of all. 
In due time, and by the same processes as in its pred- 
ecessors, my labor was rewarded with what I claim to 
be THE CROWN JEWEL OF THEM ALL. It has a stoutcr stalk 
than the Acme; heavier foliage, that protects it from 
the scalding hot sun;, is slightly darker in its purple 
color; almost, if not e(pially, as early, and much larger 
than Acme, being deeper through from stem to blossom 
ends. It is a constant bearer, '' holding up" its size on 
till the frosts kill the vines. It is particularly produc- 
tive; when the fruit is left on a single vine to see how 
many can be picked oflf ripe at one time, it is not un- 
common to gather a peck at a single picking. Neither 
has it a useless green, hard core in the center. What 
is usually a hard, unripe center in others, is in this, 
and in all my kinds, as good as any other part of 
it for food. The seed cavities are small, and contain 
few seeds; it ripens all over and through at the 
same time, and is freest from skin cracks or ^' Black 
Rot." It is a splendid shipper, and was ^ first 



LIVINGSTON S BEAUTY TOMATO. 



33 



purple tomato that obtained extensive sales in the 
Eastern markets. The attention of shippers in the 
South is especially directed to this variety, because their 
success depends on a kind that will " hold up under " 
shipments for long distances. An extensive shipper 




from Mississippi tells us, ''I had 'Beauties' on open 
freight for nine days, and they came out all right.'' It 
was introduced in 1886, and it is now sold by all leading 
seedsmen in tlie world more largely than any other. It 
recpiires almost two and a half tons of seed from this 
kind alone, to serve our own customers in their annual 
demands, and other seedsmen also sell large quantities 
of it. 



34 



LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 



10. Selling Under Seal. — I dislike very mucli to 
say anything against others in tlie same line of trade 
with myself; or anything tliat may even sound like it ; 
for I claim to be one of the last men on earth who grows 
''sore-headed" over the successes of my competitors. I 
am also aware that if I do myself, and my tomatoes, 
common justice in this book, that I lay myself liable to 
be charged with an. ''ad scheme;'' but as I write experi- 
ences here, it came to pass that, because of designing 




TRUIBLUE 




persons unjustly seeking to enter upon other men's 
labors, we were compelled to do as many other seeds- 
men did with other new ves^etables, viz., "sell under 
SEAL." This was a necessity to preserve our own repu- 
tation as upright seedsmen, and to keep the names which 
we had wisely selected for each of our new tomatoes. 
They were justly popular, but I found that they were 
sold under various other names; that many were mixed 



Livingston's true blue seal. 35 

or crossed with other kinds, and so impure ; I learned, 
also, that even our own kinds were sold under each 
other's names, or those of other well-known varieties: 
and thousands of dollars' Avorth of seed are still sold in 
the same way each year, although it is palpably dishon- 
est by all those who do it knowingly. Beauty, and all 
purple tomatoes, are sold in Chicago for Acmes. About 
Detroit, Beauty tomatoes are sold under the local 
name "Fejee." In, Florida it is sold for "Improved 
Acme." In Baltimore it is sold as '' Prize-taker," 
while Paragon is sold as "The Queen" tomato. 
Each of the other kinds have met the same fate. 
We grow on our experimental garden many lead- 
ing varieties other than our own, and by actual 
comparison are led to believe that because of similar 
characteristics, and also that introducers refuse to give 
an account of the orio-in of their new tomatoes, that 
many are simply the renaming of our }iopular kinds. 
Clearest proofs, multiplied, could be given of these, and 
similar things; and they friJJ l)e given to anyone entitled 
to kno^v them of us. But now^we st'll under Seal, only 
OUR OWN varieties, and these alone when grown near at 
hand, under our own supervision. AVhen that stock is 
exhausted, we do not buy of other firms, but (piit selling 
under seal. 

11. Livingston's Potato-Leaf Tomato. — Mau}^ 
growers had heavy clay lands, and needed a tomato 
adapted to this kind of soil, and still prove a heavy crop- 
[)er. The Potato-Leaf, which I introduced in 18S7, was 



36 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOa|aTO. 

H 

found well calculated to meet this dtMiiaud. I had it 
ready before I got the Beauty, but coufidered it wiser to 
let it wait until a sweepstakes tomato, like the Beauty, 
was well under way. Its leaf resembles that of the Irisli 
potato, hence its name. It is like the Mikado or Tur- 
ner's Hybrid, in foliage only; in every respect they differ 
in their fruits. It is of fine flavor, uniformly smooth, 




LIVIXCiSTOX S I'o'lATO-LEAF 



deep through, good size, a bright, glossy, purple color, 
an excellent producer, and is especially suited for " stak- 
ing up," or "Trellising." See Paragraphs 45 and 49. 
This Tomato, because of its right size and glossy 
purple color is of all the purple varieties the best adapted 
for canning whole, which is in the Eastern parts of the 
country now becoming very common and popular. 



livixg^ton's new stone tomato. 37 

12. Livingston's New Stone Tomato. — The 

American publie.is nut satisfied with old tilings, how- 
ever good they niay be. I was asked almost every day, 
while '^on the road," "Have you anything new in the 
tomato line?" Xow, although customers had made it 
plain by thousands of unsought testimonials to those 




LIVIXG.STO.N « NEW STOXE. 



ah-eady introduced, that there was very little opportu- 
nity left foi- improvement in tomatoes, I yet found it 
wise to put out new ones from time to time. Of course 
there was less difference between these and those I iirst 
introduced, than between my first and m11 kinds which 
preceded them. It was always my aim to please my 



38 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

customers, and so I made these little improvements as 
it became clearlv necessary for the grower's profit. Tlie 
l^ew Stone was found between rows of Beauty and Fa- 
vorite, in the fields of one of our careful growers. It 
was perfected as a distinct variety, and introduced in 
1889. It is l)lood-red in color, shaped like tlie Beauty 
— see Paragra})h 9 — and is the largest smooth red to- 
mato on the markets. It is the heaviest for its size or 
compass of all others; therefore its name, .^' Stone." 
Some growers claim they can tell it from others of the 
same size in the dark, because of its greater weight and 
solidity. It comes more nearly combining the" good 
qualities of all the red tomatoes preceding it than any 
others of any name. Xo red tomato carries its size 
thi'oughout tlie season better, none are more prolific, 
none are better adapted for all purposes, none have 
23leased our growers better in the same length of time 
since its introduction. In my judgment the coming to- 
matoes that will hold the highest rank, and w^ear the 
longest Avith those who grow them for the money they 
will make them, are, for purple color, "The Beauty;" 
for red color, " The New StOxVE." 

13. Livingston's Royal Red Tomato. — It was 

found among Dwarf Champion fields. These were pur- 
ple tomatoes, while the Royal Red is a bright scarlet — 
the i-eddest tomato through and througli yet introduced 
by us or otliers. I found that large cpiantities of toma- 
toes were used in the manufacture of catsup, and also 
for eannino" Avhole in bottles. This verv decided red 



LIVINGSTON S ROYAL RED TOMATO. 



89 



color was ill deinaml tor these purposes; so it was intro- 
duced as "Livingston's Koyal Red," in 1891. It is a 
iirst-rate general purpose tomato, however. It carries 
in high degree most ot* the good (pialities of tlie older 




l.IVIN(iSTON S ROYAL RED. 



ones I have introduced. In size, smoothness, produc- 
tiveness, solidity, and beautiful appearance, it will please 
the most fastidious. When on exhibition at our Fairs 
it attracts more attention than any other of the red 
varieties. - 



14. Livingston's Gold Ball Tomato. — The little 
yellow Kgg, or Plum Tomato, whieli people ate raw in 
their gardens, and used so extensively for })reserves, 
suggested to my uiind that a new and improved variety 
for tlie same jtui'poses might be vvvy acceptable. One of 



40 



LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 



our best growers found it among his growing tomatoes, 
and it was introduced in 1892. It is a bright golden 
yellow', round as a ball, one and one-half inches in diam- 
eter; it has few seeds, abundance of flesh, and is so very 
productive that some single plants have borne a half 
bushel of fruit. The tomatoes will, without injury, 




LIVINGSTON S GOLD BALL, 



hang on the vine in clusters a w^eek or ten days after 
fully ripe. I consider this gem of a tomato the best I 
have ever seen for preserves. 'No thrifty housewife who 
once fixes her eyes upon this Ball of Beauty will ever 
let it go from her garden or table. 



Livingston's buckeye state tomato. 



41 



15. Livingston's Buckeye State Tomato.— 

Lately considerable exciteinejit among ambitious seeds- 
men has been experienced over very large fruited 
tomatoes. Xow tliis furnishes me with an oi)port unity 




Livingston's buckeye state. 



for whicli I have waited long. I have had this one, 
named as above, from the very first of my all-smooth 
varieties; I did not introduce it, because it seemed to 
me too large for general use. It is the largest uniformly 
smooth one in the markets that carries with it all the 



42 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

qualities I have described as belonging to all others of 
ni}^ great family of tomatoes. 

As there is now a demand for large specimens, I 
entrust mine to the judgment and experience of the 
tomato growing public in the year 1893. There is 
nothing coarse or rough about this fruit. It ripens quite 
early, is a tomato for home use and for the home market; 
a vigorous grower, has no green end or useless core, and 
few seeds ; is of tine flavor, purple color, and grows in 
mammoth clusters of from six to ten in a cluster, many 
of which will weigh from one to one and a half 
pounds apiece. It is also a very prolitable kind to stake 
up or trellis. See Paragraphs 45 and 49. 

16. Livingston's New Dwarf Aristocrat To- 
mato. — It would seem after all that has been said of the 
tomatoes already described, that no more could be add- 
ed, or any other improvements made on them; yet there 
are many more points of excellence to be attained, some 
of which I claim are found in this new dwarf tomato 
which will be introduced this year — 1893. It has a 
strong, erect, bushy stalk, that is often one and a half 
inches in diameter. Because of its erect bearing and 
dressy appearance it is called " The Aristocrat." The 
plants are so stalky and stiff from the time they come 
out of the ground tliat they reset without wilting or 
falling down, and are therefore not stunted; nearly a 
week on "first early'' is gained in this way. Plants can 
be set much closer than those of other varieties ; at least 
one-half more will be required to set the same plot of 



LIVINGSTON'S NEW DWARF ARISTOCRAT TOMATO. 43 



IjyiNGgTONS NEW I 




44 LIVIXGSTON AXD THE TOMATO. 

gnound. With this advantage, and their extra produc- 
tiveness, I l)elieve nnder special cultivation they will 
produce one-third more to the acre than other kinds. 
It begins to bear with tlie earliest varieties, and does 
not cease bearing until frosts kill the vines. Yet be- 
cause of its erectness, bushy habits, and close standing 
in the field, it is saved from the early frosts, and only 
the hard freezes in the fall will reach the fruit hid up 
under its foliage, and thus bears abundantly when other 
kinds have been entirely killed. The fruit has the pe- 
culiar rpiality of keeping in a dry, cool room, before 
decay sets in, for three or four weeks after they cannot 
longer be trusted in the open field. It is also a large 
sized tomato, of a bright glossy red color, very fine 
fieshed and flavored, uniformly smooth, and is an all- 
purpose tomato for shippers, canners, market gardeners, 
and for fancy and remumerative home-culture. In a 
word, it carries the good qualities of its forerunners 
among ni}^ varieties, and has some others peculiar to 
itself. I prophesy a brilliant future for our Aristocrat. 

17. Livingston's Large Rose Peach Tomato. — 

This sort originated with us and has all the general char- 
acteristics belonging to this singular and distinct class of 
tomatoes, but is much larger tha;i any peach variety yet 
brought out, averaging about Avith the Acme in size. 
We have grown it for several years on our trial grounds 
here, and are well pleased with it. We pronounce it 
rot proof because we have not observed a single speci- 
men showing any sign of rot in the past three years of 



LIVINGSTON S LARGE ROSE PEACH TOMATO. 



45 



its g-rowth. It is a profuse bearer until killed by re- 
peated frost, and has the agreeable, mild flavor as well 
as the suffused coloring and the peculiar peach-like 
bloom on its surface. AVe presume tliat the texture of 
the skin accounts for its never rottino;, and we think for 




LIVINGSTON 8 LARGE ROSE PEACH 



the same reason it would be well adapted for growing 
in certain hot climates where the ordinary tomato can- 
not be successfully grown. It is certainly worthy of 
extended trial. 



46 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 



I HA YE now given the reader a history of the princi- 
pal varieties ah-eady introduced. They were each 
secured to meet certain clearly defined demands arising 
in the tomato trade. If there is any demand which has 
not been reasonably met, I acknowledge frankly that I 
do not know what it is. Some will say, " This is a big- 
pictured advertisement." ]S"ow, I am free to admit that 
I am not blind to the fact that what I have related will 
advertise us among the readers of this book ; but we 
will not allow that we are dealing with anything but 
the facts in the case. If facts advertise me, that is as 
legitimately mine as the tomatoes I have introduced ; 
and no one is injured if I claim n\y own. It can be no 
loss to the grower, nor to ni}' fellow-seedsmen who cat- 
alogue my tomato seeds from year to year, and sell large 
quantities of them ; nor 3^et to the consumer who par- 
takes of new and improved fruits. It will now be neces- 
sary to consider some of the questions relating to kinds, 
which many growers and others are continually asking, 
and wliich have been written about so variously, that 
'' I, also, will show mine opinion." 

18. ^' Will your varieties 'run out?'*' — Under 
our cultivation, having our distinct kinds as a basis, 
there is no such thing as the degeneracy of the kinds. 
I have sweet corn kept pure and improving for forty- 
one years; and cabbage so, for thirty-five years ; and 



WILL VARIETIES RUN OUT. 47 

tomatoes so, for twenty-six years. I see the same 
laws of life that govern pedigreed stock in animals, con- 
trol in tomato life. If one has a distinct variety, and 
keeps it pure, and cultivated u}), it cannot degenerate. 
All experience is against the idea of degeneracy ; unless 
left to itself, to mix in foreign blood, to get under con- 
ditions unfavorable for its true and best developments. 
I am aware that it will not do to set out tomato plants 
that come up of themselves from the last year's crop, 
even when that crop was considered pure stock. It is 
left to itself, and whatever of bad nature there may be 
in it, is sure to come out. This I know to be a fact — vol- 
unteers will not do to use, although no one exactly 
knows why it is so. This does not argue, however, that 
a distinct kind, kept pure and cultivated under proper 
conditions, will degenerate; at least, mine do not ^' run 
out." 

19. '* Can we cross kinds and get new ones?" 

That is, if I plant several kinds, such as Beauty, Mika- 
do, and Dwarf Champion, together in the same field, so 
that they will mix in the bloom, can I get from a mon- 
grel, thus produced, a new and distinct variety that will 
produce after its kind, and be better than either of the 
above varieties ? In answer to this question let me say, 
I have no confidence in hybridizing or crossing as a 
method of securiufi: new varieties. I am not likelv to for- 
fi^et mv failures for fifteen vears, nor the lessons wliich 
they taught me. Like begets like. Hough ones beget 
rough ones. From an imperfect kind uniformly perfect 



48 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

specimens cannot come. " Blood will tell," and the im- 
perfections will appear; and this will be true if there is 
the least bad blood in either of the kinds that may be 
crossed. If the Trophy is crossed with the Paragon the 
result will be an improvement on Trophy, but rough 
ones will still appear among them, and more "culls" Avill 
appear. This fact can be easily proven in practice, 
even where for several generations these bad qualities 
had not been much seen, for some unaccountable reasons 
they will begin to appear again. This is what is known 
as " breeding back," among the stockmen, but is just as 
true of tomatoes as of anything else. If au}^ one breeds 
crosses upon crosses, no one can tell what the result will 
be. Yet trying to breed in certain good' qualities ])y 
crossing those that do not have them with some that do, 
while at the same time certain bad qualities Avould ])e 
bred out by the same process, must ever prove a failure,^ 
simply because it violates the very constitution of things, 
viz.: "■ Whose seed is in itself yielding fruit after 
his kind." I see some seedsmen are advertising this 
year, 1893, in their catalogues, the seeds of iifty differ- 
ent kinds of tomatoes in one packet, l^o one will get a 
new and valuable kind from seed of such a mixed lot, for 
they will not produce after the nice specimen tomatoes 
onemay select from them. It would be better to do as I 
did — select a plant of decided markings of stalk, leaf, size, 
quality of fruit to taste ; for if you happened upon an 
original variety it would then come true to kind; other- 
wise, never in the world ; for it might in any season 
"breed back" to the time when Jacob traded lentils to 



CrLTIVATIX(i VARIETIES INTO STRAINS. 49 

Esau for his l)irtbright. It is no inaiiiier of use wasting 
time on seed from crosses for stock seed. As well l)uild 
a mill high on the hill and expect the water to run up 
there of its own accord to drive the machinery. It vio- 
lates nature, and it can't be done that way. The whole 
trick in getting new varieties is in knowing which 
plants are original kinds, and those that will, under cul- 
tivation, take on size, flesh, and desired qualities, without 

ANY INFUSION OF FOREIGN BLOOD. Xo (h)ul)t, oil this Sub- 
ject, there is much of mystery as yet, just as there is on 
all subjects connected with life, wliicb is itself a pro- 
found mystery. However, this makes it all the more 
inviting "field tor scrutinizing investigations. 

20. Can distinct varieties be cultivated into 
different ''strains.^" — Eacli plant has its range of pos- 
sibilities ; that is, it can grow larger or smaller than a 
stambird size, a little darker or ligbter in color, a little 
more sour or sweet ; and so on, covering all of its cpial- 
ities. I suppose The Creator gave it these capacities to 
change in order to adapt itself to varying conditions 
under Avhich it might have to grow, and still continue 
itself from year to year. Each phiiit has its limitations 
however, l)eyond which it cannot be cultivated. Xo 
amount of cultivation (or putting it under the most fa- 
vorable circumstances to develop to its utmost) would 
grow a Yellow Egg Tomato into a Golden Queen, be- 
cause "The Queen" has capacities beyond the limita- 
tions of "The Egg'' tomato. Hence if we get Queen 
tomatoes we must not try to get them b}" cultivating up 
the Vj^g^ l)ut get a new and distinct variety. 



50 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

There may be another reason why the Creator has 
arranged things in this way, viz.: it ailbrds opportunity 
to gratify a great variety of tastes ; suppose, as a gar- 
dener, I prefer " The Beauty " tomato to any other one 
kind. As I grow it from year to year, and observe it 
closely, I discover these variations in its qualities. I 
see some larger or smaller, some darker or lighter, some 
heavier or of less weight^ and so on. At once my pref- 
erences would lead me to select for my stock-seed from 
specimen plants and tomatoes those which I thought 
best. IN'ow, this process kept up for a number of years 
will produce what would be properly called ni)^ " Strain 
of Beauties." Yet let it not be forgotten, it Avould never 
become an^^thing other than a Beauty. 

Kow, in point of fact, as I visit the tields of many 
careful tomato growers each year, the evidences of this 
very thing comes to mv eyes. I will not be successful Iv 
contradicted when I say, there are to-daj' among gar- 
deners, many strains of Paragon, of Beauty, and of other 
popular varieties. I sincerely hope, too, that the reader 
will not fail to consider that only distinct kinds are ca- 
l»al)le of being cultivated into decided "strains;" and 
this in turn, proves that my kinds are new and distinct. 

For this reason, and because of many observations 
made in all parts of this country, I have great difficulty 
to see how any originator has got, even aproximately 
smooth tomatoes from rouo-h kinds, without a strong' 
infusion of blood from some of my distinctly smooth 
varieties. In our trial gardens are raised many well- 
known principal kinds: and there are none of them but 



SELECTED STOCK-SEED. 51 

show a proportioi) of roiig'h ones among' tlieni. There 
is, so far as I know, very little literature upon how orig- 
inators secured the kinds they claim are new and dis- 
tinct varieties, and which they introduce under various 
names. It would he of immense interest to me, and I 
judge to growers in general, to learn liow they got them. 
I, for myself, would like to learn many things fromf 
these men if they are sending out those that are really 
new and distinct ; but if they send out only "crosses," 
or " strains," as such, one would' only smile at the effort, 
but expect no permanent results from it. I sus})ect, at 
least, that such efforts account for the prevailing opin- 
ion that the life of any distinct kind of tomato is only 
ten years. 

21. Selected Stock -Seed. — AVe should have 
among seedsmen, for the l)enetit of growers, something 
whieh would procure the same end as the pedigrees of 
animals to be used for breeding }»urposes. Stock-seed 
should be selected, year by year, from the discovery of 
any new kind, so long as tliere is any demand for it, Ity 
the wisest and best s^rowers in the land. All admit the 
necessity and advantages of sueh eare, sueli cultivation, 
and such selections; but few go to the expense to do 
this. Concerning all the kinds introduced and before 
described, I can say they are really pedigreed tomatoes. 
From the day of their discovery to this day, they have 
been under our hands; so we know what we have, and 
what they will ]»ro(luce. Only a few men have been 
tound who can he entrusted to save selected stock for 



52 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

lis, and raise from it reliable seeds for our customers. 
These are Avell paid for this very responsible labor, and 
they can make a business of it, and so we keep our tomato 
seeds up to the standard type. All my varieties, nearly; 
are general and special purpose tomatoes. All are 
smooth — to a tomato — not a rou^rh one can be found in 
acres, as we grow them. A son of Mr. Landreth, the 
seedsman, in the fall of 1892, at his own request, was 
taken over the fields of my diti'erent kinds in the trial 
gardens. After going through all the fields, lie was 
challenged to say whether he had seen a single rough 
one among all of my own varieties, but he could not say 
that he had. The fact is, they are absolutely and uni- 
formly smooth in contour. All ripen evenly, all over 
and through, at the same time. Xot one has a useless 
core, or hard stem end ; the whole tomato is all 
alike edible. All grow in clusters, and so are more pro- 
Hiic. All possess the greatest possible solidit}^ in the 
smallest possible compass. And all are new and distinct 
varieties, producing after their kind. 

While traveling, I am often asked to buy tomato 
seed. I could buy it by the hundred pounds at twelve 
cents to forty cents per pound. I know that large 
(piantities of it are bought and sold in the seed markets 
to-day; because when sold at one dollar or more per 
pound, there may be a gain of three or four hundred per 
cent. But after what I have written, it is plain that no 
grower who would make the most of his opportunities 
should trust to that kind of seed. All my experiences and 
observations teach me to advise every growler always to 



SELECTED STOCK-SEED. 53 

get the best available selected stock-seed from reliable 
seedsmen. It is tlie cheapest in the end, by far. The im- 
portance — the money value — of having varieties true to 
kind, and good, strong seed from them, cannot be over- 
estimated. It often makes all the difference between 
what is loss, and what pays well, in one's crop. It costs 
more to get it, and we must alwa^^s expect to pay more 
for it. After the first cost of the select stock-seed, it 
costs no more to raise and nuirket the crop than it 
would if the market gardener grew it from inferior 
kinds. This latter seed would cost him at least one dol- 
lar per pound. An ounce will plant an acre. This 
amount would cost him six and a cpiarter cents per acre. 
If he will add six and a cpiarter cents more, he can get 
good seeds of profitable kinds. This would be at the 
rate of two dollars per pouiid. If he w^ill add another six 
and a quarter cents, he can buy choice seed of better va- 
rieties ; or at the rate of three dollars per pound. But 
if he will add yet another six and a quarter cents, he can 
have selected stock-seed from the first kinds in the land. 
This would be at the rate of four dollars per pound, or 
twenty-five cents per acre. 

It is not always safe to get barely enough seed; for 
frost, accident, or other enemy, may destroy it. In the 
]N"orth growers usually buy and sow one-quarter pound 
for an acre, and twice that amount is used in the South. 
At the above figures the select stock-seed would cost 
per acre from one to two dollars. This amount is so 
small that no wise, wide-awake man will risk o-rowino- 
his crops from inferior kinds. The profits from the first 



54 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

picking off an acre will far more than pay this differ- 
ence in the cost of seed ; and the grower has, for all the 
rest of the season through, the choicest fruits to place 
before his customers. Who does not know among mar- 
ket gardeners, that you cannot sell a measure of mixed 
apples to advantage ? Neither can you of -tomatoes. 
Best kinds, in hest condition, bring best prices, on all 
markets, from the best paying customers. After ex- 
tended observations I am persuaded that there is more 
lost to the producers of all kinds of field crops by plant- 
ing inferior seed than from any other one cause. 
People do not often think about it as it is. In one row 
of tomatoes forty rods long one inferior stalk would, if 
it had been a good one, so increased the gain of the crop 
as to have bought select stock-seed for the whole row. 
This idea was given me by a sharp, shrewd, grower, who 
was making his business pay him richly. I am well 
aware that prices, as named above, will seem large to 
amateur growers ; but experienced gardeners will take 
no exceptions to my reasoning here. It only costs a 
farmer or beginner a few cents to test the certainty of 
what I write here by his own experience. 

23. Can farmers and market gardeners grow 
their own seed and save this expense ? — I think 
not, because they plant to use the fruit, and not to get the 
seed. It is often to their advantage to plant different 
kinds side by side. They will cross badly, and so in a 
few years '■'run out." "But could they not plant some 
separately and so get their own seed ? " Yes, they could. 



GROWING OWN SEED. ' 55 

if they would, and leani the seed-raising business; 
but will they do it ? and would it pay them if they did ? 
Seed-raising is another business altogetlier, which few 
market gardeners know anything about. The amount 
of seed — especially tomato seed — which any one uses is 
so small, that if he employed the time and labor neces- 
sary to save his own seed in producing marketable 
fruits, he could, by the gain from this, buy selected seed 
of the best kinds a half dozen times over. An old say- 
ing is, "Every man to his trade;" for those who make 
a business of any specialty can do that cheapest. So it 
comes to pass in human affairs that most of us find it 
pays best to do a few things well, and buy Avhat we 
want cheaper, vastly cheaper, than we could if we tried 
to produce it for ourselves. Let us '' live and let live." 
See what other writers think on this same subject : 

Should Gardeners Grow Their Own Seeds. 

By AV. J. GRKEX. 

"This question is usually answered in the affirma- 
tive: the reason assigned being that one can grow^ better 
seeds than he can buy. The reason may have been a 
valid one once, and may still hold good in some cases, 
but to advise private parties to grow their own garden 
seeds is about as antiquated advice as to recommend 
farmers to weave their own cloth. 

"Indiscriminate advice is worse than no advice. 
This is one of the cases where careful discrimination is 
required. To grow good seed, it is not only necessary 
to keep varities pure, by preventing crossing, but it is 



d6 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

also necessary to exercise the greatest care in selection 
of stock. It is not enongli to secnre a good variety 
and then keep it from mixing with other varieties, hnt 
trneness to type and pnrity of strain mnst be looked 
after. Imperfect forms mnst be weeded ont, and only 
those that come up to the proper standard retained. 
The art of selection so as to obtain the best possible re- 
sults is not so well understood as desirable, but profes- 
sional seed growers know al)Out all there is known 
about it. They could give private growers "pointers" 
every day in the year. 

"There is no doubt l)ut they know how to grow, 
and do grow, better seed than ninety-nine per cent, of 
private growers are able to do, and they sell their pro- 
ducts at prices far below what small quantities can be 
groAvn for. The only possible good reason for any one 
to grow a small quantit}^ of seeds for his own use is, that 
he thinks them to be much superior to anything that 
he can buy. 

"In most cases such persons deceive themselves in 
the belief that they have something better than any one 
else is able to grow. But, says one, " If I have some- 
thing that I know to be extra fine, Avill it not pay me to 
perpetuate it myself, so as to be sure of it?" The an- 
swer is, " yes, if you are sure that you can do the work 
better than any one else, but the chances are ten to one 
that a regular seed grower can do much better than you 
can, and do it vastly cheaper." 



HINTS TO AMERICAN SEED TRADE ASSOCIATION. Di 

23. Hints to the American Seed Trade Asso- 
ciation. — There have been such mixing of varieties, and 
of names given to kinds hy nnscrupulous parties, that 
great and unnecessary expense has been occasioned. 
Possibly there has been not a little over- reaching in the 
race for wealth and distinction. Some course of action 
ought to be adopted, and lived up to, that would render 
this sort of thing practically impossible. 

I recommend that the Association list all worthy 
vegetables under the name given it by the introducer, 
together with his description of the same, and that this 
be published in a book, called '' Vegetable Standard," 
by the American Seed Trade Association. Also, that 
hereafter no vegetable shall be added to this list, as a 
new one, until the originator gives satisfactory proofs 
that it is a new kind, distinct from all those already 
listed, worthy a place in this Standard, and of the en- 
dorsement of the Association. The American Poultry 
Association does this with advantage to all. It is an. 
acknowledged fact that deceptions are used in the seed 
trade ; new names are assumed for old varieties by those 
without principle; they sell thousands of pounds of seed 
none should buy, and much less plant. Such need ex- 
posure before the public, for the benelit of all. I here 
add, as coniirming what I have said, the words of a good 
writer from one of our Experimental Stations : 

"In testing varieties at our station, we have forci- 
bly noticed the confusion that exists in the names of 
vegetables, and have, many times, strons^lv felt the need 



58 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMAT§. 

of some authorized standard tliat would aid us in deter- 
mining whether a given variety we are growing is dis- 
tinct, or whether it is the same as some other, Ijearing a 
different name. 

^'Because we have discovered that there is no such 
standard, and because we are finding out that many of 
the names offered in our catalogues are not distinct, it 
has occurred to us that we can perhaps do no more use- 
ful work for horticulture than to make the effort to dis- 
cover how many distinct varieties we have, and to iruike 
a complete and accurate description of each. It is cer- 
tainly not our province to assign the hlame for the con- 
fusion of names tliat exists. Indeed, the more we learn 
the more we become convinced that it is nobody's fault. 
It is the natural and inevitable consequence of carrying 
on the seed business without an authorized standard of 
varieties. It is Avhat language was before we had a dic- 
tionary, and what our fruits would have been to-day, 
had not Mr. Downing and his associates accomplished 
the great work of sifting out the synonyms. 

"The question has often been raised whether it is 
possible to make descriptions of varieties of vegetables 
which will apply to different soils -md climates. Our 
botanist friends have often expressed grave doubts upon 
the subject, and have even declared it impossible. After 
three years of study in this directi. n, I am of the opinion 
that the thing is practicable, though it is certainly not 
easy of accomplishment." 

Come kind of protection, too, ought to be found for 



HINTS TO AMERICAN SEED TRADE ASSOCIATION. 59 

tlio right in these matters^ and for tliose wlio walk ii}>- 
rig'htly. We eannot liave it too soon, either. I have 
thought tliat a national law to the eftect that no one 
shoukl SELL THE SEEDS of an J vegetahle without consent 
of the discoverer for five years from date of letters pat- 
ent which the Government had given liim for discover- 
ing a new and worthy vegetahle was a just necessity. 
If I had had such protection npon my new tomatoes, 
there is not a seedsman in the land ])ut knows it would 
have heen Avorth thousands of dollaVs to me, and Avould 
not have l>een one (hjUar less advantage to the seed 
trade of the country, or to those whom they serve. If 
a man is entitled to seventeen years proteetion on any 
new device of everv sort, hoAV much more oualit the 
seedsman or grower who discovers a new article of food 
have protection for live years. I hope some memher of 
the Association, more familiar than I with the details of 
this husiness, will work it out and put it through ; for it 
would give a wonderful impetus to the securing of new 
and useful kinds of vegetahles. 

Here is another thing in which all seedsmen and 
their customers are interested. There is an increasino- 
seed trade carried on Ijv mail, and this is laro-elv hv the 
poor of the land who only huy in small amounts. The 
United States ought not to carry Canadian mail matter 
at tV)ur cents per pound, and charge her own citizens 
just douhle that rate, viz., eight cents a pound. I he- 
lieve if the Association did hut call the Government's 
attention to it, this would he changed at once. England 
is ahle to take care of herself, and this countrv ouo^ht to 



60 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

give her own subjects (among wliich are seedsmen and 
growers) a l)etter oppoi'tnnity to l)e loyal and thrifty 
citizens by taking better care of themselves in a legiti- 
mate way. 

24. Profits on a Tomato Crop. — I now propose 
to show that this is a protital)le cr<^p to raise. After all, 
if there is no demand for them, good kinds will help no 
one. If we cannot get a good price for them when 
thev are trrown, of what avail will imijroved varieties be 
to any one. This is shown in the history of the Golden 
Queen tomato. My readers have a right to know and 
be satisfied whether tomato growing is profital)le or not. 
This point must be proven clearly, and I aim to do that 
here for any fair-minded person. 

It is variously and correctly estimated that an acre 
will produce from one to eight hundred bnshels of to- 
matoes. A man can grow as many acres of them, and 
be equally as certain of a good crop, as he could be of 
corn. Indeed, take the soils and seasons as they come 
and go, he would be rather more certain of a crop. He 
would now Ijc quite as sure, also, of a ready market for 
the one as the other. Neither will it cost more lal)or^ 
time, attention, or money, to produce tomatctes than to 
raise corn; and they have rather less enemies than any 
other field crop as extensively grown. Like other pro- 
ducts of the soil, the price will vary according to the law 
of supply and demand. It will range from twenty -five 
cents to one dollar and a half per bushel. Let us reason 
a little from these premises. If you harvest one hun- 



PROFITS OX A TOMATO CROP. 61 

dred busliels, and sell at twoiitj-five cents per Ijnsliel, 
you o-et twentj-iive dollars per acre. Tins is counted at 
lowest acreao-e and lowest price per bushel. It will not 
be better than that with corn, oats, wheat or hay, if you 
count either of them at lowest acreage and lowest prices. 
But, if you sell the one hundred bushels per acre at fifty 
cents per bushel you will get fifty dollars ; and if for one 
dollar per bushel, one hundred dollars per acre. 

^^ow, if you haryest four hundred bushels per acre 
(one-half the largest possibility), and sell at twenty-liye 
cents per bushel, you get one hundred dollars; at iifty 
cents per bushel, two hundred dollars ; at one dollar per 
bushel, four hundred dollars to the acre. 

These results show up well when compared with 
those of other crops which growers haye been raising, 
I yenture t<i assert. Do you ask, " but are not these 
imaginary figures?" I answer, ''not a bit of it." This 
yery season— 1892— tomatoes were readily sold on the 
Columbus markets at from forty cents to one dollar and 
a half per bushel; and we had in our own fields a good 
many acres that did not fall short of the four huiulred 
bushels to the acre, either. 

"But if all farmers went into the business of grow- 
ing tomatoes, what then?" I am often asked such 
questions. Eyery one will not do it; at least for many 
years to come; and then, when it does not pay longer, 
it will be time enough to change to some other crop. 
The al)()ye question would apply equally well to any 
other standard crop of the present time. It could l)e 
asked with as mucli i)ith and point of the potato, corn, 



62 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

or wheat crops. But there is no more danger of over- 
stocking the markets with tomatoes than with any 
other single crop that is commonly raised at this time. 
To-day Ohio alone needs twenty-live more canning fac- 
tories to be up with Iowa or Maryland. Southern ship- 
pers must make money, for there are thousands of them 
in the business of raising tomatoes for the northern 
markets. The selling prices range from two to eiglit 
dollars per bushel, and they secure from fifty to two hun- 
dred bushels to the acre from the early spring crop, and 
more per acre from the early summer erops. From the 
above [^prices must be subtracted the commissions and 
freights, but if that costs half its value, their returns will 
still be from fifty to eight hundred dollars per acre. Infor- 
mation from the experimental stations shows that they 
could be raised under glass or in hot-houses in the 
Korth, and sold at spring or early summer prices with a 
net profit of fifteen cents per square foot for the plat so 
planted. There are nine square feet in a yard. This 
would be a net profit of one dollar and thirty-five cents 
to the square yard ; or in a hot house one hundred feet 
long, with beds a yard wide on each side of the walk, it 
would bring two hundred and seventy dollars net gain. 
And remember, this would come in after other good 
paying crops had been taken oft' the same beds — such as 
lettuce. 

And if one grows the tomato for his own use, no 
fruit, or other vegetable, will aftbrd him such abundance 
of healthful food for the same expenditure of labor. 
This will enable my readers to see that there is money 



SELECTION OF KINDS. 63 

in the business, with no more ''drawbacks" than in any 
other line of products from the soil. Still, if a man has 
failed in all else, I could not advise him to try growing 
tomatoes for profit; but I will tell you that the kind of 
man who will, in my judgment, get the nearest to eight 
hundred bushels to the acre, and secure the nearest to 
one dollar per bushel for them. It will be the man wlio 
aims at these figures, leaving no stone unturned to'get 
them, and working closer to it from year to year as 
experience teaches him what, and what not to do. He 
will dare to risk whatever reasonably promises to fetch 
better crops and better prices. The man who selects 
the best seeds, of the best kinds, for the best soil he has, 
works it most judiciously, uses wisely the right fertiliz- 
ers, prepares it best for market, reads the best newspa- 
pers, is, with courtesy and honest dealing for all, the 
man who will succeed in growling good tomatoes and 
getting big money for them. Give this an all-around, 
faithful trial, and then write me a letter of thanks for 
calling your attention to it. 

25. Selection of Kinds to Plant. There are 

more than three hundred kinds of tomatoes; at least, 
there are above that number of names applied to them. 
It is charitable for me to say that each of these kinds 
have some qualities to recommend them. Many re- 
spectable fellow-seedsmen advertise some of these kinds, 
and all growers who have tried them, and find they pay 
them better than other kinds, would be very foolish 
indeed to abandon tliem. I do not wit^h to say anything 



64 LIVIXliSTOX AND THE TOMATO. 

ag'aiu^t any of these [uirticular varieties, nor will I: Init 
the reader will easily believe, as I have diseovered and 
introduced tliirteen ditierent kinds, with a view of meet- 
ing- the demands of the times, tliat I would at least pre- 
fer my own to all others. If I were to collate what the 
Bulletins decide, and the money-making customers say, 
of my tomatoes, in comparison with all other most pop- 
ular varieties, I could not complain that my judgment 
in this thing was not ahly coniirmed. I would gladly 
avoid namino- varieties suited to anv ii'iven end the 
oTOwer miii'ht wish to attain : and vet, I hope mv mod- 

O C^ tit 

esty will not he (piestitmed when I say that I have every 
reason to think that my readers will want to know 
which of his kinds Livingston would plant for any given 
purpose. I will name, then, only those heretofore de- 
scribed in this book. 

26. Kinds for Shippers. — As these are earliest 
on the uuirket. I name them first. For early red. Per- 
fection and The Aristocrat : especially in those parts 
of the country where ''sfakiihj up " is extensively em- 
ployed. The l>EArTY, of i)urple color, comes next, and 
should be given j^lace for one-half the whole cro[). Xew 
Stone for bulk of ci'(»p between early and late : this is a 
red tonuito, and very choice tor this purpose. And Par- 
AUON for red late. 

27. Kinds for Home Use. — L would name Fa- 
vorite for early red. and Acme for early pur[>le. Beauty 
for bulk of cro}>. A few stalks of yellow Golden Queen 



SELECTION OF KINDS. 65 

is needed for slicing' and preserves. For ornamental 
trellisino- and useful crop, try Royal Hed, Potato-Leaf, 
and yellow Gold Ball. On fancy trellises they are very 
beautiful, and will rei»ay the grower for his trouble in 
o^ood fruits. If a tarnier wishes lars^e, iine-ileshed to- 
niatoes, so that he can get a good price on market 
(should he have more than he wishes for himself), let 
him try Buckeye State, which is of purple color, and 
(piite sweet in flavor. 

28. Kinds for Market Gardeners. — Acme for 
lirst early purple, and I^erfection for first early red. 
The purple Beauty, and the red Xew Stone, for Indk of 
crop. For very large ones of purple color, plant Buck- 
eye State ; and for late red, the Paragon. 

29. Kinds for Canners. — They should see to it 
tliat their growers plant Perfection and Favorite for 
early, the New Stone and Beauty for medium and Indk 
of crop, and Paragon for late. If they wish to get very 
desirable kinds for canning the fruit whole in bottles, 
let me commend the red Aristocrat, the pur[tle Potato- 
Leaf, and the yellow Gold Ball. See ]'aragra])h (31. 

30. Kinds for Catsups and Preserves. — For 

catsups. Royal Bed, and for preserves, Gold Ball. 

31. Kinds to Grow Under Glass. — 1 recom- 
mend for red color. The Perfection and The Arlsto- 
CRAT ; and for purple. The Acme and The Beauty. 



66 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

^ow, although we thus uanie these kinds for spec- 
ial purposes, yet the grower may profitably try other 
kinds if it suits his convenience better to do so. This 
list is largely intended for beginners, and is to have a 
general apphcation. 

32. Sowing Seed for Family Use.— Make a 

shallow tray or box two feet long, one foot wide, and 
six inches deep; or get a goods box from your grocer 
about the same size ; or whatever will tit best into the 
sunniest window of the warmest room in your house. 
Take some rich black soil, with enouirh sand in it to 
keep it from baking after it is w^atered, and so it will 
make it warmer; put it first into the oven and heat it 
until all the weed seeds and insect life there may be in 
it will be destroyed, and then put into your box enough 
of it to fill the tray three-fourths full. Arrange to fix 
your box on such an incline at the window as to get the 
sun's rays perpendicularly, or square against the surface 
of the ground. Moisten this soil and stir in the sun 
from time to time, for a day or two, until it is in fine 
condition to make the seed germinate. All this is to be 
got ready from the middle of February to the middle of 
March in the latitude of Ohio; north or south of this, 
vary the time to suit. In this box plant the choicest 
seeds of the best kinds at your command. Lay it ofi' in 
rows across the short way of the box, four inches apart, 
and if you wish to take the trouble, put the seeds about 
one-cpiarter inch apart in the row ; otherw^ise sprinkle 
along, so as to be as near that thick in the row^ as you 



SOWING SEED FOR FAMILY USE. 67 

can liit it in tliat way ; then cover with one-half or three- 
quarters of an inch of earth, and ''firm it down " on the 
seed. Care must be taken where two or more kinds are 
phinted in the same box, to mark the rows carefully 
Avhere they were planted, on the outside of the box, at 
the end of the rows ; otherwise it will be forgotten which 
is which, by the time they are to be transplanted. Each 
kind should be set bv themselves in the s^arden, and 
their names preserved throughout the season ; then the 
grower will know which kinds suit him best, and so can 
tell what to send for next year. After the seed has 
been planted a day or two, dip a piece of brown paper 
or cloth in water, as warm as you would wish to put 
your hand in, and spread it over the whole surface of 
the ground. This covering should be remoistened in 
warm water every day or two, but especial care must 
be taken to remove it when the little tomato plants be- 
gin to "get their backs up'' through the soil, which 
you may expect in a week or ten days after sowing. 
Stir tlie surface of the soil between the rows from time 
to time, and moisten just enough to keep the plants 
growing nicely, but not enough to force them along. 
They would better be too dry than too wet. The 
dryer the warmer, the less liaV)le to rot, or to grow 
too fast, and be long, slim, weak plants. Keep them 
from getting stunted, but have them grow as sliort and 
stubbv as vou can ^et tliem. Transplantiuii: will ettect 
them less disastrously then when they go out into the 
world. 

AVhen they are two inches high [»repare another 



68 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

similar box to the one used at first, or boxes as may 
be needed. Make the phmts very wet, then raise 
or pry tliem out so as to retain as much of the dirt upon 
the roots as possible, and set them out again in rows 
two inclies apart and two inches from each other in the 
row. Be sure to keep the difierent kinds separate, so 
3X)u wdll know which from which. When these plants 
get to crowding eacli other, or al)Out four or five 
inches high, pass a sharp knife midway between 
the plants on each side. This, if you have followed di- 
rections carefully, will give you a little plot two inches 
square to each plant, and this plant will stand exactly 
in the middle of it. Make tliem wet as before, and re- 
set three or four inches apart, rowed both ways. If the 
square plat of dirt is taken with the roots, they will 
hardl}^ know they were moved. As they grow pass 
the sharp knife midway between the rows at least 
once in two weeks, to keep the roots from interlock- 
ing, and to hold back the plants from growing too 
tall. Some extra plants can be set in flowerpots if need 
be, scattered about the house wherever most convenient, 
and best for them to grow. Aim to raise at least three 
or four times as many as you ne^ed. If you do uot need 
them, your neighbors Avill want such plants at ^ve or ten 
cents apiece. But do you say, " This is a great deal of 
bother?" Well, no; I do not think so. Suppose you 
take fifty or seventy-five plants over the training I have 
suggested, the sum total of your labor is not very great, 
and when the fruits come on weeks before home grown 
tomatoes are seen on the market, you will have your 



HARDENING TOMATO PLANTS. 69 

rewards in the satisfaction of having wliat few others 
will have, and of eatinj^: refreshing: frnit when von want 
it most. 

As soon as the danger of frosts is past, transplant 
in the open garden. Let me snggest that, on all warm 
days hefore you set the plants in the garden, to open the 
windoAV, or place them on the porch Avhere the snn is 
warm ; this gets them used to oat-door life, but you 
must not forget for a single time to leave them out, and 
let the frosts nip them some cold night, or you will 
awaken in the morning to look upon the result wath re- 
grets for such careless loss of labor. 

Hardeninc^ Tomato Plants. 

"What is gained l)y starting plants early, and by 
frecpient transplanting, can easily be lost again by neg- 
lecting to harden the plants off properly before their 
final transfer to the open ground. In fact, this is the 
most prolific source of disappointment and failure in 
getting the crop as early as the fine plants promised. 

" The transfer from in-door })rotection to out-door 
exposure is ahvays attended with risks, and generally 
results in a check to plant growth, from wliich the 
victims will not recover in weeks. Plants grown in hot 
beds or greenhouses should ahvays be transferred to 
cold frames and left entirely without sash protection for 
a considerable time before they are set out in the open 
ground. 

" The wise man always abides his time. Don't let 
your impatience hurry you and induce you to bed out 



70 LININGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

plants before the ground has become thoroughly warmed 
through. The check is not owing to root mutilation or 
disturbance (as such would be beneficial rather than 
otherwise), but to change of atmospheric surroundings, 
soil, temperature, etc. The plant accustomed to hard- 
ships by previous exposure will suffer but little by the 
chano-e." — Farm and Fireside. 

For difi:erent methods of cultivation in the garden, 
see Paragraphs 45 to 49, inclusive. If you do not wish 
to grow the plants for yourself, reliable seedsmen will 
furnisli them cheaply by express. This is a good way 
to get good plants, of good kinds, when you need them. 

33. Common Hotbeds. — It will be necessary for 
all who wish to raise more tomatoes than they desire foi* 
their own use, to think of it in the fell of the year pre- 
ceding that when they would raise the crop, in order to 
make the proper provisions for it. A warm, sunny spot 
should be chosen, on the south or southeast of buildings or 
other protection from north or nortlnvest Winds. Indeed, 
if these are not conveniently situated the groAver should 
build a tight board fence eight or ten feet high, on the 
north and west sides of the place where he wishes to locate 
Ills hotbeds. These ought to be put as close to this fence 
as possible, and leave room to walk around between the 
fence and the beds. One thing must not be overlooked 
in the choice of a site for a hotbed, viz.: If the subsoil 
is porous it will not need drainage, but if it holds water 
the hotbed must be located so as to underdrain with 
ordinary three-inch tiles. 



THE COMMON HOTBED. 



71 



The 1>est wny to iiuike these beds is to excavate the 
soil, with tlieir length ruiniiiig east and west, for a depth 
of two feet, in th^ fall before frosts harden the ground. 
Drive a stout stake 2x2 or 2x3 inches carefully in each 
of the corners. Xail to these, on the outside, boards so 
the bed will be eio'hteen inches hie'h on the north side 
and six inches high on the south side, and slope the ends 
to meet the sides so enclosing it. Bank u[» the north 
side and the ends with the dirt throAvn out. If jou buy 





HOTBED. 



HOTBED 8ASH. 



sash expressly for the purpose (which you can of almost 
any first-class seedsman), it ought to be three feet by 
six feet in size, as this is probably the most convenient. 
Of course any kind of sash can be used, but in any case 
the size of the hotbed must be made to fit the sash used 
over it; and any size of hotbed can be made as desired, 
but almost the universal practice is to make them about 
six feet wide, and as long as will secure as many square 
feet of hotbed space as is needed. 

IN^ow we have the hole dug out, l)oarded around, 
and the earth banked up to it, and this done in the fall 
preceding ; but you are not through with it yet. Put 



72 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

into the bottom of it enough good hhick, or rich tan- 
colored soil (having sand in it to loosen and make it 
warm) to fill it seven inches deep. On this throw in 
and ''firm down" enongh fresh manure from the stable 
to keep this good soil and the inside of the hotbed from 
freezing until it isiieeded, about the middle of February 
or first of March. On some sunny day when this time 
arrives, remove this manure, piling it out on all sides 
except on the south side ; also take out the good soil, 
placing it on the south side of the bed, exercising care 
to pulverize it as fine as possible in the handling of it. 
'Now put into this vacant bed eighteen inches of fresh 
manure from the stable, that which will produce the 
greatest heat, and tramp it down tightl}^, and make it 
as level on the surface as you can. If the manure is too 
dry to heat, make it wet with hot water. Spread on 
top of this manure the rich soil six inches deep. To get 
it evenly spread, you must put on the whole six inches 
as you go. If you put two inches on, and then some 
more, and then more, you Avill get it in uneven thick- 
nesses and it will not work so well. [N^ow place the 
glass over it, and, in a day or two, as soon as it gets warm 
and dry, it is ready for the seed. 

34. Sowing Seed in the Hotbed. — Make httle 
furrows on the surface of the bed, one inch deep and 
three inches apart. This will make the entire surface 
into little ridges and hollows. Sow your seed broadcast 
upon the bed thus prepared, so it will contain about two 
hundred and fifty seeds to the square foot. Then take 



SOWING SEED IN THE HOTBED. 73 

your garden rake, turn it teeth upwards, and with the 
baek of it on tlie surfaee, Hu'litlv and diae'ouallv (h'aw it 
over the ridges until it is all level again. Xearly all the 
plants will then come up in rows. This plan saves 
much time and many back aehes. The soil should he 
'^firmed doirn'^ on the seed as soon as yon have it in tlie 
ground^ This is done conveniently with a hoard of 
suitahle size, and your weight put on it; or with a small, 
heavy hand roller. AVhen small quantities of various 
kinds are s'own, the ordinary method of sowing a row 
at a time should he observed. Be sure to mark carefully 
where you have planted this kind or that, so that you can 
know what you are planting out later in the season. 
Do not depend on memory; mark it, so you will knou'. 
Care must be taken now to keep the hotbed the right 
temperature. It will be advisable for beginners to use 
a thermometer, although persons of experience can telL 
by merely putting their hand finder the sash. If it gets 
above 90° F. it is too hot, or below 50° F. it is too cold. 
A range from sixty to eighty degrees will be right. If 
tlie bed gets too hot, raise the sash, and equalize the 
heat by letting in the outside air : Ijut if this does not 
cool the soil, and it is still too hot for the plants, then, 
about each square yard, push down into the manure be- 
low^, a stick like a broom-handle, remove carefully, and 
pour in a bucketfull of cold water to each hole. And, 
likewise, if the manure does not make it hot enough, 
pour into such holes hot water instead of cold. TIiq 
heat may be increased, after the seed is planted, by re- 
moving the manure and some soil from al)Out tlie out- 



74 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

side of the beds, and packing them all aronnd with fresh, 
hot mannre from the stable. 

You may expect the seed to come up in eight or 
ten days. Keep all weeds out; stir the soil with a weeder 

WEEDERS. 





EXCELSIOR. LANGlS. 

once a week, and keep only wet enough to make plants 
grow well, but not so asto force them, or you will get 
long, slim plants where yon need stalky, short, thick, 
stout ones. Keep the sash open as much as is prudent 
on warm days, whether the sun shines, or it is raining. 
It makes the plants healthier and accustoms them more 
certainly to the conditions of the out-door life they must 
lead a little later on. 

35. More Extended Hotbeds. — These may also 
be necessary where it is desirable to go into the business 
of raising plants for market, or where the grower wishes 
more permanent arrangements than the common hot- 
beds ; or where he Avishes to raise, as in the hothouse, 
other crops under glass before he needs to plant the 
seeds for tomatoes. These may be made more or less 
costly, as opportunity and means, or taste, may show to 
be wise. The site should be chosen in a place with good 
drainage, protected on the north and west, and having 
the sun shining upon it all day long. The length of the 
building should run, not east and west like the common 



MORE EXTENDED HOTBEDS. 



75 



hotbed, but north and south like the hothouse. They 
may be constructed of quarry stone, second-hand brick, 
or of any himber at hand and which may be suitable for 
tbe purpose. Excavate to the depth of two or two and 
a half feet, and seven feet wide, and to any length to 
give the desired amount of surface. Wall up the sides 
to four inches above the surface of the ground on 
each side, and each end to a point, in the center, corres- 
ponding to the comb of the house. For rafters use 
strips of some good hard wood three inches wide and 
one inch thick, and a little longer than the sash to be 
used ; and it should be, say, three by four feet ; then 
each rafter would be four feet and three inches long. 
These rafters should be cut in the ordinary way, only to 
go up edgewise thus, 



A M 




r. )•.— Rafters, which are exactly equal in size. 

s. b.~A section of the side-boards, an end view, on which the rafters rest for a plate. 

Enough of the rafter should extend above the side- 
boards to be a little above the sash, which is also to rest 
on the side-board at the lower ends, and constitute a 
main part of the roof. Between the rafters at the top 
is to be nailed in a strip one inch square (see cut as at 



76 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

a), and long enough to reach two inches above the tip- 
top point of the comb. This two inches is to be whit- 
tled to a three-quarters inch round. Upon them is to 
be dropped a strip three inches wide and one thick, 
having holes bored to suit, to act as a ridgepole. A set 
of these rafters is to go at each end, and a pair between 
each pair of sash, which comb upon each other at the 
top, just under the ridgeboard, while the lower ends lie 
on the upper edge of the side-boards. To adjust the 
sash, drive a stitf wire nail with a Hat, thin head, 
through the rafter into the side of the sash, about eigh- 
teen inches from the top, on each side of it. Tliis 
makes a perfect hinge. Then the next pair are fastened 
in, say, nineteen inches from the top, in the same way; 
and your building is complete. There ought to be a 
little slide door, or ventilator, in each end. When the 
grower wishes to work in this hotbed, by having a stick 
about a yard long, and loosely hinged with a staple at 
the bottom end of sash, he can quickh^ adjust it at any 
angle desired. If he bores holes in it, and in the rafters 
to correspond, he can, with a pin, set the sash perpen- 
dicularly, or at au}^ angle, in order to let in a warm 
spring shower so as to save much labor in watering his 
plants. He can thus regulate the temperature of this 
house also. One advantage over the common hotbed is 
that you can work it from each side, and never have to 
handle the sash except to raise and lower them. 

Prepare for these hotbeds and plant in them the 
same as already described in Paragraphs 32 and 33. In 
these houses crops of lettuce, radishes, cucumbers, or 



A CIRCULAR HOTHOUSE. 77 

other things coukl Ije grown before needed tor tomatoes. 
If desired for winter crops, especially of tomatoes, by 
lengthening the sash, excavating in the earth deeper, 
and introducing artiticial heat, a profitable hothouse can 
be very cheaply constructed in this way. 

36. A Circular Hothouse. — I have never tried 
it, but I have oiten thought aliout a Cireular Hothouse, 
which seemed to me might be veiy profitable, Avhere a 
man had the material at hand and eould do most of the 
work himself in building it. Locate tlie house on a 
warm southern slope, with an incline of thirty degrees 
to the east. Excavate on the upper side, throwing the 
earth down hill, sutiicient to secure a circular level place 
thirty feet in diameter. Excavate still deeper for a 
furnace below the level, in tlie center of this plat, and 
wall u[) to the surface; also wail up a way out to the 
south on a level with the furnace room floor. Directly 
over the furnace construct a hothouse bed in a circle 
with a diameter of eight feet. Around this concbict a 
walk of two feet in width, and around this again, con- 
struct plant beds seven feet in width ; and then another 
walk of two feet all around this. Cover the whole with 
glass and sash; and also near the sides with glazed sash 
three feet by three feet. The entrance to it must be 
from the entry to furnace room, l)y a stair leading up 
under the seven-foot bed, in opposite directions, to the 
walks. If it can l)e located below a spring of water, the 
water needed can be conducted through tlie building by 
pipes, and be most convenient. This house will, no 



78 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

doubt, cost more to construct than one in the form of a 
rectangle with square corners ; and yet the advantages 
of heating, watering, and working this one would pay 
w^ell for it. 

37. Cold Frames. — These are made like common 
hotbeds (see Paragraph 33), only not so deep nor hav- 
ing so much manure — ten inches is enough — in them 
under the soil, so it is not necessary to dig out so deep 
for them; these are covered with glass, or what is mucli 
cheaper and more easily handled, they may be covered 
with hotbed oiled cloth, or "Plant Bed Cloth," as seeds- 



PLANT BED CLOTH. 



men call it. By tacking it to light frames, three teet 
wide by six feet long, they can be used most handily. 
These cold frames are for receiving the plants when the 
grower first transplants them from the hotbeds, or resets 
them again to keep them "stalky." It also gives them 
more room to grow, and as it is not so warm, the«p]ants 
are got a little hardier for out-door life when the frosts 
come on no more. 

The plant-s should be lifted out with a garden 
trowel, put into a shallow tray, and '' prieked out" with a 
dibble, or angle transplanting trowel, into the cold frame 
as described in Paragraph 32. They should be set three 
or four inches apart, and rowed straight both ways. They 



COLD FRAMES. 



79 



grow well, and work easily this way with tlie band 
weeder (see cut). This makes it }»ossibie, also, to prune 
the roots by passing a knife midway between the plants, 
each way of the rows, alxnit once a week, with the re- 




CLEVE8 ANGLE TRANSPLANTING TROWEL 



DIBBLE. 



suit of keeping the plants short and stout. It is an ad- 
vantage, too, when theHnal transplanting comes, as you 
can take this earthen cube of three or four inches di- 
mensions along with the plant, and it will hardly recog- 
nize that it has gone ^'out into the world," and can 
now make the most of itself without any great hindrance 
in " ii'ettins: started in life." 




GARDEN TROWEL 



I wish to remark here, that wlioever labors at this 
kind of work should constantly study what conditions 
are best for his plants throughout all the changes they 
must make: and also, how he can most cheaply and 
conveniently atford tliem these ffood conditions. In one 



80 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

sentence, study to do the best things easiest; for k^hor, 
time, or expense, saved habitually, is almost equivalent 
to cash in hand. 

For Southern growers, I want to make a suggestion 
in regard to Cold Frames: oidy for them they should be 
called Heat Frames; for as the former is against cold in 
the Xorth, so in the South could they be used against 
heat. Especially would this advantage appear in raising 
an early crop in winter. Locate this Frame in a some- 
what shaded, cool phice. If the natural shade cannot 
be found, then make it artificially of lumber, brush, 
cloth, or anything at hand. Xo manure is needed; just 
level off the place, drive the stakes, nail up the boards, 
bank up the dirt to tlie boards, and cover with "Plant- 
bed Cloth.'' Put in good soil in which to sow the seed, 
and plant it in July or August. Open at night, l)ut 
cover in the day-time. If it is very hot weather, and 
liable to burn them, saturate the soil all around the bed 
with cold water. In this way an earlier winter crop can 
be grown; for now Southern growers must wait till the 
weather is cool enouo^h "out o' doors" to a^row their 
plants, and so lose much good trade they could by these 
means otherwise attain. 

For Canners, or those who grow for them, no hot 
bed is needed, only these Cold Frames for earliest, as one 
transplanting will answer. Large growers lind time 
only for this or resetting. They plant enough later so 
that the weather is not cold enough to demand more 
heat than these afford. Indeed, many of these growers 
sow the seed in drills in the open Held, in rich soil, about 



COLD FRAMES. 81 

the middle of April, and reset from these rows in the 
field. The risk is too great. It would pay hetter to 
build and use the Cold Frames. The latest crop might 
be risked this way, l)y planting the first of May. The 
Cold-Frames are an advantage because they are the 
means bj^ which plants acquire age without growing tall 
and spindling, and so bear earlier after they are set out 
in the field, and are less stunted by the transfer. The 
importance of -'stalky" plants cannot l)e over-estimated. 
However, if your plants do get too tall and slender by 
the time you dare risk them "out o' doors," do not 
throw them away, but do one of two things: either pull 
them and '''heel them in,^' as fruit men say of trees — that 
is, jDut them in ])unches of twenty-five or fift}^ and cover 
the roots in the ground; water well, and when it is well 
soaked away cover plants with dry earth pretty well up 
on the stalks. Or you can let them grow and then trans- 
plant, by letting the stalk lie along in the furrow, covering 
it with about the same depth of earth as commonly sets 
a plant, and leaving only so much of the top above ground 
as can "hold up its head." It will not do to set them 
deep in the ground, as they will rot ofi*; but as above, it 
is an advantage, because at the joints roots will grow 
out and feed the plant more than common, and force it 
faster than otherwise. Indeed, some growers urge this 
as the best way to get an earl}' and productive crop. 

Cold Frames for an acre, witli plants set as directed 
above, viz.: three inches each way from each other, 
would require to be thirty feet long by six feet Avide, or 
its equivalent in shorter beds. To [»ut it in round num- 



82 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

bers, an ounce of tomato seed has twenty-five hnndred 
seeds; by this yon can calculate how much seed you will 
want, and how much hotbed space it will take to grow 
your plants. jN^ever depend on just barely enough to go 
around. 'No telling what may happen. Calculate for 
abundance of plants. 

38. Preparation of Soil in the Field for the 
Plants. — Tomatoes can be grown wherever corn could 
be planted. Crops will vary also in proportion to the 
productiveness of the soil. Select a field of sandy black 
loam or rich tan-colored clayey soil. To get the best 
fruits, land that is rich enough to fetch fifty to seventy- 
five bushels of corn to the acre should be chosen. Plow 
under a clover sod in the fall, or if possible in February, 
so it will get a good freeze or two. If the clover sod 
cannot be had, then take the next best field, viz.: the 
second crop after clover. I prefer for tomatoes to im- 
prove the land by "clovering" above all other kinds of 
fertilizers. Next to clover I use u'ell-rottcd stable man- 
ure. In order to get it well rotted I pitch it over in the 
early spring, at least once a month. By piling it over 
itself tw^o or three times it will not burn itself out by its 
o^vn heat and be almost useless, nor yet w^ill it leach out 
with rains falling on it. For any crop where stable 
manure is used, this is a most important point. It can 
not be out of place here to say, no man can afitbrd to go 
from year to year without a large saucer-shaped space, 
with one side of it near his barn, where lie throws out 
his manures, so that as it heaps up he can pile it over, 



THE MARKER. 83 

and so on, to the other side, Avhen he will have a heap 
of compost wliieh would delight the eye of any man 
intellio-ent enouo:h to know its commercial vahie. This 
shaUow hasin ought to be three times as large as neces- 
sary to hold the manure, and cemented, or have clay that 
will liold water well pounded in all over the bottom of it. 
If the grower fertilizes witli this for a tomato crop, 
let him spread on broadcast over his land a heavy coat — 
from one to four inches — and plow it under in the spring. 
If the land was plowed in the fall, no matter, plow 
again, ^o crop is hurt l)y thorough plowing and plenty 
of pulverizing before the plants are set in the ground. 
Of course commercial fertilizers can be used to advan- 
tage, but it can be applied best when transplanting or 
growing, and tney will be described in place. In a word, 
whatever will thoroughly prepare a rich tield in good 
shape for any common crop, will be all right for tomatoes. 

39. The Marker. — When it comes time to put the 
plants into the open Held you will be in a hurry, and you 
will iind it very advisable to prepare for it previously, 
during any leisure time you may liavc in the w^inter. 
A Marker will be needed, and I here submit a plan for 
one, which I used for a good many years. It is made 
like a sled with plank runners, only it has four runnei's 
instead ot two, and they are thicker and shorter than 
usual for sleds, and set four feet apart — "r"' is the run- 
ner, nuule of pine or other lumber. They should l)e 
three feet long, six inches wide, and tln-ee inches thick. 
"Sc" is a seantlin^i", two bv four inches, and a little over 



84 



LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 



twelve feet long. It slioiild set into the upper edge of 
the runners, about three inches hack from the front end, 
to the depth of one or one and a lialf inches, and be 
spiked down firmly. On the rear ends nail a strong 
board, one inch thick and fourteen wide, having same 
length as scantling (see ''13" in cut). Any blacksmith 
can make hinges or clips, as at "c" '^c" in cut, to receive 
a tongue lor hitching a team to it. A good way to do 
is to find some tono'ue or 'M)ole"" belono-iuo- to an old 
spring wagon no longer used, then it can be left in all 



^C(^^^ 




MARKER. 

the time, and the marker is alwavs I'cadv the vear around. 



It is not an unliandy conveyanee to have around anyhoAv, 
as it can be used for many things, such as moving plows, 
harrows, and even stones or other rubbisli, wherever 
desired. The driver, when usine' it for a marker, usually 
stands on the lu'oad board, and drives across the field, 
and by using stakes secures straight rows. 

]N'ow, from the tenth to tlie twentieth of Ma}^, or 
after you are satisfied that dan^-er from frosts and real 
cold nights are past, and having your ground well plowed 
and harrowed, take the marker, and driving to stakes 



TJIE MARKER. 85 

set ill the ordinary way, make rows as straight as possi- 
ble across the fiehl. This will give four rows '^at a 
through^'' and so mark out your ground pretty rapidly. 
By using a shovel plow, or similar implement, draw 
furrows across these markings from two feet to seven, 
as may be needed. For Dwarf Champion, Aristocrat, 
aiiv tree-like kinds, or anv varietv for trainino: or stalk- 
ing up, from two to three feet will be wide enough to 
furrow out the ground. Acme and Potato Leaf may 
he furrowed from three to four feet apart, while all other 
varieties for "down-culture"' will need to be placed from 
four to seven feet apart. The kind, the tendency to 
vine, and the strength of the soil, must decide how far 
plants should be set apart. One thing is certain, there 
is far more dano-er of srettine: them too close than too 
far from each other in the field. It looks like a great 
waste of land to set plants seven feet apart, but it will 
pay to do it on rich soil, and for the best kinds. If the 
tops interlap or overlap each other, much injury is done 
the crop. When in Xew Jersey and Delaware among 
the canners this last fall, 1892, I found that their Para- 
gon Tomatoes (noted everywhere for its adaptability for 
a late crop) were all intertwined and overlapped, and I 
feel sure it was the cause of a complaint that the toma- 
toes were small on the "last pickings." Xo one expects 
to get six stalks of good corn in each hill; neither should 
lie if he plants two stalks of tomatoes where only one 
should be. Some growers plant "First in Market Peas," 
or other quickly maturing crop, between the rows, and 
so save something of this apparent waste of land. Let 



86 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

me suggest, also, that the grower do not mark oli" more 
ground tlian he can set out while it is still fresh and 
moist in the furrows. If they get rained on and dried 
hard in the sun, run tlie shovel plow through again in 
the furrow. It will do no harm, if vour o-round is a 
little hard or cloddy, to i*un a second time in each fur- 
row anyliow. It aifords more fine dirt for transplanting. 
If you wish to use commercial fertilizers, secure and 
have ready in the field at this juncture, put into the 
crossing of your marking out alx)ut a gill, and hoe it in 
a little with a common hoe. A complete fertilizer for a 
tomato crop, to be sowed broadcast and harrowed in, is 
as follows: Dried ground fish, 833 lbs.; dissolved bone 
black, 210 lbs.; muriate of potash, 150 lbs. Stated in 
per cents, it would be: Nitrogen 5, phosphoric acid 10, 
potash 8. A 1,000 lbs. per acre will be needed. It 
should be put on tlie day before the plants are set in the 
ground. In general, fertilizers mostly nitrogen and 
potash seem best suited for the tomato. On rich soils, 
use less nitrogen and more potash, as a rule. From 
Semper's "Manures," on pages 149 and 150, 1 quote the 
following fertilizers for tomatoes per acre: 

No. 1. Nitrate of soda, . . 

Dried Ijlood, ..... 
Cotton seed meal, 
Dissolved bone-black, 
Dissolved South Carolina rock, 
Muriate of Potash, .... 

GEORGIA EXFERIMENT.\L STATION. 

Xo. 2. Nitrate of soda, .... 

Superphosphate, .... 
INIuriate of potash, 



200 lbs 


100 




300 




400 




400 




100 




400 lbs. 


800 


li 


200 


u 



TRANSPLANTING INTO THE OPEN FIELD. 87 

Every grower oiiglit to try cliftereiit plant-foods for 
Ills crops till lie learns what is best for his fields; but 
almost anywhere he may well try a gill of liard wood 
ashes to each plant, with good hope of increased harvests. 
Let me urge the grower to be thorough in all that he 
does. Do not be afraid of work. A little boy once 
said to his father: 

''I know what makes these onions grow so well." 

'^Why, my son?" 

"Because you liave to o;et down on vour knees so 
much to them." 

The-secret of successful gardening consists in attend- 
ing dihgently to your crop when it needs it. 

40. Transplanting Into the Open Field. — Turn 
back to Paragraph 32 and read it over. During the win- 
ter previous make a ''Handy Tray" for carrying plants. 
It is made of one-half inch lumber. It should be two 




HANDY TRAY, 



feet long, sixteen inches wide, and four deep. One end 
should be left out. In the other end a suitable hole is 
cut, so the hand can slip into it, for a handle, while the 
open end is caught by the bottom, and so is easily carried. 
Sometimes a strong wooden hoop is bended over in the 



88 



Ln^INGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 



middle from side to side, and makes a basket-like handle. 
A shallow goods box (made over a little) will answer 
very well. If each liand setting out plants carries a 
tray with him, then the handle is a disadvantage, for he 
drags his tray full of plants along the ground, and sets 
as he goes. If one drops plants and another sets them 
out, then the handle is an advantage, for he can carry it 
with one hand and drop with the other. 

An hour or two before beo:innini? the work of trans- 
planting, or about one or two o'clock p. m., pass the knife 
between the plants midway between the rows each way, 
at least four inches deep; then wet the plants thoroughly 
and let the water soak into the ground for one or two 
hours. During this time enough furrowing out for that 
evening can be done. Then take trays enough to hold 
all the plants to be wet that evening. You will need a 
small mason's trowel, or better, "Cleaves' Steel Dibber," 
flat l)lade, two and a half inches by nine, having a spade- 
like handle. 




FLAT BLADE DIBBER. 



CLEVES ROUND DIBBER. 



By using this in the cold frame, the three or four 
inch cubes of soil with a plant in its center can be 
taken out, one by one, and slipped off into the tray. 
Elevate the open end of the tray a little, and commenc- 
ing at the closed end of it, pack in the plants till it is 
full. Care should be taken not to crush the soil from 



TRANSPLANTING INTO THE OPEN FIELD. 89 

the roots in bandliiig them. As each tray is filled place 
in the wagon, and when sufficient number is obtained all 
hands are away to the iield. 

A careful way here is for each hand to take a tray, 
and following a row, slip the plants out into the furrow 
at the crossings, keeping them upright and as much soil 
about the rootlets as possible. When in place, press some 
line soil around the plant with the hand, so it will stand 
firmly. It will not come amiss then to water each plant 
(about a pint to the plant), and the next morning go 
along with the hoe and hill up the dirt to it. It will 
hardly know it is moved in this way, if they have been 
^'hardened off" well (see Paragraph 32), and this will 
add to the earliness of your ''earliest of all" at least a 
week. Have a care, also, if you take different kinds in 
your trays, or in the same wagon-load, not to get them 
mixed up in setting them out. 

Let me put in a warning against the use of "vol- 
unteer plants," or such as come up of their own accord 
in the spring on soil planted to tomatoes the year before. 
They cannot be depended on as true to kind, not even 
if the best of selected stock seed was used the year pre- 
vious. My crop was once destroyed by cut-worms, and 
I used some volunteer plants and had seed that produced 
all sorts. I am often asked: ''Why will not 'volunteers' 
come true to kind?" I am not able fully to answer this 
question, but I have a theory which may help some one 
else to study it out. It seems strange that it is so; in- 
deed, it appears impossible, yet I know it is true. It is 
worst in the South — in Florida, Mississippi, and else- 



90 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

where — where frosts do not kill them out during the 
winter. Things left to themselves get wild, degenerate, 
"run out." Without coddling or nursing under the 
most favorahle circumstances for their growth, they keep 
only the most hardy qualities, while the best and tender- 
est parts retain only enough of themselves to sustain 
life — that is, these parts run down to the lowest range 
of limit and live. Hence the diii'erence bet\yeen a wild 
native tomato and one of my improved smooth varieties. 
I have no question hut the best tomato on the markets 
to-day, if left to itself for eight or ten years, would 
''run out" or degenerateto the lowest point of its limi- 
tations; but that same tomato, if not crossed with other 
kinds, could be brought up again (by ohserving to put 
it under right conditions) to tlie highest point of exeel- 
lence within its limitations. Hence it will be seen that 
the stock-seed grower must be one wdio understands how 
to ''keep w^" their excellencies, if the fruit-growers get 
what they desire, and ought to have, from year to year. 
Another reason lies in the fact, that if this is any kind 
of tomato which has any original wild mixed blood in 
it, lying out all winter is calculated to furnish the con- 
ditions for its development; and hence it appears, while 
under the better or higher cultivation, such things would 
continue latent, and might not be seen for years. 

Coming back from this digression about "volun- 
teers" to the matter of Transplanting again, another 
way of handling the plants for field culture, especially 
for large acreages, when so great care cannot be taken 
for want of time, and because of expense of extra help. 



TRANSPLANTING INTO THE OPEN FIELD. 



91 



is to let one hand take the tray on his arm and drop one 
plant in each hill, with the tops all one way; then an- 
other can follow up, coming to the plant against its top 
instead of its roots, and with his "Cleaves' Dibber" (or 
similar implement) make a slanting hole in the soil in 
the Eill, and lifting it, slip the tomato root in and let 
the dirt fall back on the plant, giving it a little firming 
down with his foot as he passes on. With practice, boys 
sixteen to twenty years old get to be experts in the use 
of the dibber. Afterwards apply the water, and hoe up 
the next morning, as before described. In this way 
plants can be set but until the first of July for a general 
crop. Sometimes, if desirable, the seed can be planted 




J!^^ w*rir 




SOWING SEED. 



in rows in some rich, waste soil in the open field, from 
1st of May to the 15th of same month. To transplant 
these, wet the row^s thoroughly two hours before pulling 
them; pull, and set as described before in this paragraph, 
but always put the water to them and hoe in the dry soil 



92 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

after the water soaks away. I^ot many plants will be 
lost this way, but they will be stunted a little, and so 
will not bear fruit so early after transplanting as plants 
raised in hotbeds and brought up in the cold-frames. 
It is never necessary to wait for wet weather in order to 
transplant successfully. Plenty of water used in taking 
the plants up, and also in setting out again, insures a 
good supply of rootlets and good mingling of them in 
the ground again. If this is followed with the hoe or 
suitable cultivation almost at once, the results are more 
satisfactory than when one works in soil that is too wet, 
for then the soil is apt to' bake, and sometimes hardens 
around a stalk and fairly girdles it. 

Do not get nervous, and put your plants out too 
early. Nothing is gained by it. Cold rains, cold nights, 
danger of frosts, and shady days, injure them and de- 
stroy many plants. Wait till you feel you will have 
w^arm, growing weather, then stick them in. I have 
Avaited till the first of June for early here, and then came 
into market before others who had set out two or three 
weeks ahead of me. A good way to tell when it is safe 
to risk transplanting in the field, is to Avatch the buds 
on the oak trees, and when the leaves are like a squirrel's 
foot the time has come for first early to be set out in 
the field. 

41. Implements for Cultivation. — These may be 
any ordinary implements for cultivating the soil, such as 
one has at hand and employs in other crops; but what- 
ever is to be used should be on the ground, for cultiva- 



CULTIVATION OF FIELD CROP. 



93 



tioii must begin at once after the transplanting is finished 
in the field. The Planet, Jr., implements are, all in all, 
the best in the market, and can be bought of seedsmen 
everywhere. The Planet, Jr., Horse Hoe and the Planet, 
Jr., One-Horse Harrow, for surface and level cultivation, 
are A Xo. 1. 





TWELVE-TOOTH HARROW, WITH 
.^ERIZER ATTACHED. 



PLANET, JR., HORSE HOE AND CULTIVATOR 
COMBINED. 

42. Cultivation of Field Crop. — Tomatoes need 
culture as soon after transplanting as possible, and after 
that about once a week till the vines fall down and make 
further cultivation impracticable. But even then, if the 
season has been such as to allow big weeds to show 
themselves above the plants, go through after a heavy 
shower and pull them out by hand. The fine steel- 
toothed one-horse harrow is best for level and first cul- 
tivation. Tlie Planet, Jr., Cultivator will answer for 
second and third cultivation. If marked out to sow 



94 



LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 



both ways of the Held, and if at all convenient, work 
the crop both ways alternately. Great care must be 
a ken not to disturb the roots after the plants fall down 
or are in l)loom. Yerv shallow culture is best after the 
plants begin to spread out over the field. The same 
general matters of importance in the culture of any 
crop apply to raising tomatoes in their ^'down-cultiva- 
tion'' in the open Held. 

AVork them well, keep the ground clear of weeds, 
give them room to ''spread thevnselrts,'^ and the grower 
will not need to complain of results. 




MULCHINU TOMATOES PRUNING ON DOWN-CULTURE. 95 

Other methods, more or less practieal to some of 
my readers, deserve mention and description here. 
According to circumstances or desires of the growers, 
they luive heen employed to greater or less advantage. 
These are Staking up and Trellising in various ways, 
which are increasingly popular from season to season. 

43. Mulching Tomatoes. — Yov down-culture, 
there may he added to the al)0ve methods of ordinary 
cultivation that of mulching the ground quite heavily 
under the vines with straw. This is especially desirable 
for a dry, sunny hillside location or for dry seasons, or 
in any kind of light soil that spatters up hadly on the 
fruit, or in very weedy, foul ground. This is only prac- 
ticable Avhen one has the straw and not too large an 
acreage to cover. It is especially desirable to turn the 
vines a little along the rows, and, it may be, to trim the 
to[)S that seek to drop over to their neighbor's rows, so 
as to leave a comfortable and convenient walk between 
them to gather the fruit. Land is not generally so 
scarce as yet in America that we cannot aiford to give 
our tomatoes plenty of room to grow all they want to, 
and so do us better service all around. Try some toma- 
toes with this straw mulch, and see how it works for 
you. If the season turns out wet, then draw the straw 
away from the roots and leave between the rows. 

44. Pruning on Down-Culture. — If a grower 
has the time and working force to do it, there is real, 
substantial gain to pass along the rows, and when the 



96 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

side-shoots begin to appear select, say four, of the most 
vigorous aud let these only grow — cut oft' all the rest. 
If you cut them oft' as fast as they get to be an inch or 
two long, you will get the best results out of the trim- 
ming. You will need to pass over them several times 
to get it best done, but you will like it in improved 
quality of fruits gained. Some also advocate cutting 
the ends of vines oft' after the tenth of September. This 
can be done as conveniently with a common hand corn- 
knife as anything else, and may be worth a trial, although 
I cannot speak from any deftnite experiences of my own. 

45. Staking up Tomatoes. — For a considerable 
crop, this method is being tried more and moi^e, and the 
evidence of experience is in favor of it, where it can be 
done at all. In some of the Southern States their Held 
crop is raised in this way. It is a most advantageous 
method for farmers, village, or city gardeners. The stakes 
may be poles of two or three inches growth and six ta 
eight feet long, or sawed lumber of one inch thick by 
two or three wide, and the same length as above. These 
should be got ready during leisure time, the winter pre- 
vious. After the second cultivation in the open fteld,. 
or when the plants are twelve or fifteen inches high, just 
before they fall down and begin to spread out, put the 
stakes in the front end of a wagon or sled — not more 
than one-half a load. A wide-awake boy can drive the 
team straddle of the second roAv in the field. Two men, 
with an ax apiece, can set and drive them, one in the 
first and the other in the third row on each side of the 



TYING UP. 97 

conveyance, and by taking every other one they can also 
place a stake in the row at the rear of the vehicle. They 
can do this without getting out, and so set three rows 
"at a through," and with good speed. These stakes 
should, of course, be sharpened beforehand, and when 
left should stand quite lirmly in the ground. 

Another method of fixing these stakes in place, is 
to take a reasonably heavy crowbar of iron, having a 
sharp point and a swell above it to make a hole about 
same size as the stake to be set. By raising it up and 
forcing it into the ground a few times in the same place, 
a hole of sulHcient size and depth will be made, so that 
when the stake is thrust into it solidly, and the earth 
tramped lirmly about the surface with the feet, it will 
stand ready for service. An ax or sledge can also be 
used to drive a short stake with a rins: of iron around 
the top to keep it from splitting, and when removed 
carefully the tall stake can be set in the hole, as described 
above. If any one has other methods which are handier 
for them, they will answer. The point to be attained is 
to get a stake from four to six feet above ground, which 
is strong enough, and set firm enough, to hold up a 
tomato vine in full bearing, and to get this ready and in 
the hill by the time the plant is ready to topple over on 
the "'round. 

46. Tying up to tlic stake is done l)y using some 
soft twine, jute, or raliia, which can be l)Ought of seeds- 
men at a few cents a pound, altliouii'h anv kind of strino- 
will answer if not so tine and hard as to cut the plant. 



98 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

With this tie loosely around the plant and ii<fhtly around 
the stake one foot from the ground; again tie at two 
feet high, and another at three feet, and another at four, 
and, if necessary, another at five; l>ut the last tviniJ: 
should be made lirm to the plant, because the heavy fruit 
must he sustained; yet this last tving should also be 
above where the fruit ''sets'' on the vines. Here let me 
say, that some of the o1)jects of ''staking up" are to get 
larger, cleaner, smootlier, better flavored fruits, and 
especially an earlier, and a larger number of choice, 
marketable fruits to the vine. Many, therefore, when 
about five to eight clusters liave set on each stalk, do not 
let more grow on it, but while prtining trim them off, 
and throw the strength of the vine into these clusters. 
They claim that this brings quicker and more '' earliest 
of all" than ordinary culture. This necessitates "Prun- 
ing," wliich we will describe in tlie next paragraph. 

Another method of ''tying up," especially if you 
have Hat stakes, is to take a piece of braid, or a strip of 
cloth or leather, three-quarters inch wide and four to six 
inches long. Give it one turn around the plant, and 
drive a tack through the two ends lapped over each 
other and into the stake, at each foot of its growth. If 
two shoots are allowed to grow, tack on opposite sides 
of the stake, so as to fasten a shoot on each side. Here 
again anything will answer that liolds the }>lant up to 
the stake and does not injure the growth of the vine. 
I might say, for Western men Avho will likely want to 
use pine board stakes, dip the part of the stake that 
goes into the o-round, and a foot more of it, into hot, 



TYING UP. 99 

stroiig' l)riiie, baviiii;'. a jnnt of tar tu t-very two gallons 
of brine, put into it when hot. It will help, too, to put 
into it a little crude carbolic acid, also a little cheap oily 
matter, like crude petroleum. This is a cheap decoction 
which will go a long way, and pay well in preserving 
your stakes. Stakes should l)e piled up in a dry shed 
when not in use. 

Anotlier thing, if only a few clusters are allowed 
to grow on a vine, then a succession of plants should be 
set every two weeks until the fourth of July, so as to 
have others coming on after these all ri[)en. The last 
set out will l)e in the first flush for ripening about the 
time frosts come, so that quite a goodl}^ lot can be held 
to ripen in a dry, sunny cellar, or shed which is frost- 
proof, and will sell to advantage. 

All kinds of fancy "staking uj)'' for l)eauty or profit 
will afford pleasure for those who have a taste for such 
crops, and pay well. If one wishes to see how much 
fruit he can make a single stalk bear, and have for his 
labor somethino; that will attract his neio-hbor's attention 
as lie passes by, let him, for each plant, dig a hole not 
less than two and a half feet square and two deep. Fill 
it with rich soil mixed in equal parts with thoroughly 
well-rotted manure. As this compost is put in, '[firw it" 
around a strong post to stand six or eight feet out of 
the ground, and nail to it any arrangements of bars, 
straight or curved, or hoops in any shape or form to suit 
the grower's fancy, and then train by tying up a good 
supply of the strongest l)ranches, as before described. 
By nailing strong wooden hoops, such as are found on 



100 



LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 



sugar barrels, about two feet in diameter, to the two 
opposite sides of the post, as shown in the ilhistration, 
a ''tree-tomato" can be made which Avill dehght the eyes 
of all who see it. For the top and bottom hoops, cut 
into the side of post about one-quarter of an inch, then 





HOOP. 



DIAMOND. 



by cutting thcni in two they can be too-nailed into the 
post and so fastened Urmly, and also match the otliers. 
The vines should follow the hoops and leave the clusters 
open, also let them cross where the hoops touch. The 
smaller hoops are made by cutting apart and overlapping. 
The fancy grower may, if he ]*refers, have something 



TRAINING OR PRUNING TOMATOES. 101 

very pretty by nailing liard-wood plastering lath, or sim- 
ilar strips of any kind of wood, in such lengths as to 
make a diamond form. Two strong fence wires shoukl 
pass and be stapled around the outer ends of the cleats, 
as near an incli apart as may be. Train the shoots out 
on these like a grape-vine, and keep well trimmed. 
Many other forms might l)e given and used — in fact, 
anything desired. 

47. Training or Pruning Tomatoes. — Within a 
few da3'S after, or at the time of iirst tying up to the 
stakes or trellis, pass along the rows, select one, or two 
at most, of the thriftiest and most promising shoots on 
the vine and let these grow. Pinch or cut all the other 
sprouts off, and do this as often as is necessary, to keep 
the whole strength of the plant growing into these 
shoots. It will be needed about once a week. Some 
growing on rich ground trim off a portion of the leaves, 
keeping only enough to shade duly the fruits from the 
hot, scorching suns which occur after summer showers. 

A successful grower, of twenty-three years experi- 
ence, gives his methods as follows : " I have a garden spot 
lifty by sixty-four feet in size; but from it I furnish my 
family of ten, with all the vegetables they need; and sell 
from $25 to $30 worth oft' surplus. Tomatoes are my 
hobby, and I have the reputation of raising the finest in 
the market. I gained this by using your kinds, and the 
methods I here describe of cultivating them : I tirst 
prepare my ground by removing the soil for several 
feet, put into the trench two feet of manure well tramped 



102 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

down, then six inches of soil, and then eight inches of 
well-rotted manure, and soil again till I reach the sur- 
tace. In such a soil, cut- worms and grubs bred, and 
cut otf a iJ:reat deal I idanted. Anjjfle worms honev- 
combed this soil so that it dried out like an ash heap, as 
the dry weather came on ; and tomato worms added 
their work of destruction on the tender growths I tlius 
secured. Experience had taught me however, that 
tomatoes love a rich soil ; so I worked to keep this, and 
still get rid of the pests, and I have succeeded. For two 
years I have not lost a plant by the worms, and my 
neiadibors not usini? mv methods have lost heavilv 
by the ravages of these vermin. My remedy is, ' To 
one bushel of air-slaked lime and one bushel un- 
leached ashes, add ten pounds of salt ; mix well and 
cover over the ground an inch deep, then dig deep 
with a spading fork and work into the soil at the 
same time more well-rotted manure. Then cover the 
surface again with one-half inch of the lime, ash and 
salt mixture and rake it in thorouo-hlv witli the o'arden 
rake.' This mixture is a good fertilizer, tlius used with 
the manure, and is at the same time obnoxious to the 
pests that work in the soil. I sow my seed in hot-beds 
about the middle of March, and carefully harden my 
]tlants by keeping the sash otf whenever possible, and set 
out mv plants as earlv in Mav as is safe — two and one- 
half feet apart each way. Into each liill I stick a pole 
or board one by two inches and eight feet long. When 
])lants are eight or ten inches high, tie up to the pole. 
When they throw out l>ranchesl select three or four of the 



TRAININ(4 OR PRUNING TOMATOES. 103 

strongest shoots and piiu-h ott'all the rest; and continue 
to pinch tliem oH*, but tie the others n[) as they grow. 
I trim out enough leaf-limbs so that the fruit is not 
crowded and to get air and sun enough for it. About 
the tenth of September, I cut olf the top. By this severe 
trimming, the sap is thrown into the fruit, and the sun 
and the air will ripen it in almost any weather. I mulch 
the ground well with saw dust around the vines. While 
in number I may not get as many tomatoes, as if left to 
run at will, but I get far more weight and the quality is 
far su|)erior. On his own offer, a grocer paid me in 
cash, double the price he could get them for from market 
gardeners, and told me he made more out of them, 
as he could sell all I could let him have at his own 
price and sell easier than others, though he did not 
chars^-e so much tor them.'' 

I o'ive the above in full from an Illinois o^rower, to 
show how it coniirms the positions we have taken, and 
also how well it will pay to do the careful work nec- 
essary to secure these results. It is likely this grower 
would have succeeded quite as well, and, I think better, 
to have trained two stalks up the stake and let two run 
over the ground at will. Although by tying loosely for 
all the tyings, but the last one, and letting the stalks 
swing out, a little apart in different directions from tlie 
stake, it is not astonishing that he got such tine crops 
of tomatoes and call it a decided success. Some also 
add to the above, bagging (as grapes are.) 

There is no reason why those wIk^ live in cities w 
towns, as well as fai'mers, might just as well as not have 



104 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

all the nice tomatoes the}' can eat. A half dozen stalks 
iixed and worked as described above, will produce all 
any family can eat. 

48. Growing Tomatoes in Barrels. — This is a 
method strongly recommended in the American Agricul- 
turist a few years ago. For early fruit, place a barrel as 
large as a coal-oil barrel, in a warm corner about the 
buildino's.. Let it down in the o-round about one-third 
its height. Do not forget to bore three or four inch auger 
holes in the bottom to let the water out. AVhen the 
barrel is well packed in, till it half full of fresh, hot 
stable manure and tramp it down tightly. Pour a 
bucket full — two gallons — of hot water upon this ma- 
nure, then put on good soil eight inches, then a mix- 
ture of well-rotted manure and rich, black loam in about 
equal quantities, until you reach about eight to twelve 
inches of the top of the barrel, then heap manure around 
outside. Set three plants in this and trim to two 
shoots each. Train one of these each up on stakes or 
on buildings near by. For the other three I advise to 
take a strip of cloth about six inches wide, spread it 
over straw wadded around the barrel's chime and tack 
it fast, then let the latter shoots grow out over this 
cushion and run at will. Be careful to give these plenty 
of water. A o-allon each dav will not be too much. 
Three or four old barrels set around in odd corners 
which are likely to be otherwise unimportant will fur- 
nish enough tomatoes, and a variety at that, to supply a 
family of live for a whole year. 



TRELLISrX(i TOMATOES. 



105 



49. Trellising Tomatoes. — During- the winter, 
prepare stakes — prcterahly l)()ar(l one or oneand aqnarter 
inches thick, three wide and. four to seven feet long — 
as tall kinds or fruitfulness of soil may demand. 
Shar[>en these so they can he easily driven into the 
ground as directed in paragra}>li 45 on " Staking ap:'* 
On one edge of these stakes drive wire nails — stiff six 
or eight pennies, having a large. Hat head on them will 
answer. Drive the tirst nail near to top of each stake, 
and another each foot downward till the last rail would 
be about fifteen inches above the ground when set in 
the Held, thus — 




STAKE. 



These, nails should be set so as to incline upwards 
a little. See cut. 

After your growing crop has been worked through 
thoroughly with the cultivator, then as described "in 
paragniph 45, put in the stakes; only set these so that 
the edges, with the nails in them, will line along the 
row^just over the plants. Set these stakes twelve feet 
apart in the row, or as near that as can be to set the 
stakes four inches from the plants. 

With Wire Xetting. 

Buy in uncut rolls of one hundred and fifty feet 
each wire netting (such as is used for fencing poultrv- 
runs or yards). It should l*e galvanized, havino- three 



10(3 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

inch inesli, and sueli a width as will have it reach tVoni 
the lowest nail on the stake to the highest. Cut this 
roll into twelve lengths, each twelve and a half feet long, 
and hook on the nails on the stakes, stretching each as 
tightly as a man can conveniently pull it, allowing the 
ends to lap over each other on the nail in the stakes. 
This atfords a continuous trellis across the tield. For 
trellised tomatoes the ground should he marked, or fur- 
rowed out in three and a half, or four feet rows, running 
north and south where at all convenient. 'The plants 
should he set ahout two feet apart in the rows. In cul- 
tivating after the wire netting is put on the stakes use a 
short single-tree, from a foot to fifteen inches long. To 
the right eud of it fasten firndy a piece of hickory, l)road 
enough to cover tlie end and clip on single-tree, and long 
enough to reach eight inches up the tug. It should come 
to a point at the upper end. "When the tug is to he 
hitched on that side, first slip on it a thin, flat iron ring, 
then hook on the tug, and slip the ring down over the 
point of the stick, until it is held firmly to tlie tug. 

This will let the end of the single-tree pass hy vines 
and wires Avithout catching on them, and so enahle the 
grower to cultivate throughout the entire season if he 
desires. Only we recommend very shallow cultivation 
after the plants hegin to hloom. 

It nuiy seem expensive to Iniy the wire netting ; but 
with care it will last for years, and is as cheap as any- 
thing else one can buy. To he sure, you can use other 
kinds of wire fencing, such as the steel wire Fence Board 
four inches wide ; the Keystone ; the McMulleu : the 



TRELLISING TOMATOES. 107 

Sedgwick and the Page woven-wire fencing ; or one can 
use smooth fence wires on each side of the stakes, rnn- 
ning tliem the wliole length of the row, a pair of them 
each foot upward from the ground. 

The tying up and the pruning will he done the same 
as described for " staking up'' (see paragraphs 45 and 
46), except this: we suggest that about four shoots be 
tied up and spread out along the Avires, so that the slioots 
will, as they grow up the trellis, be equal distances from 
each other. The particular advantage of the wire net- 
ting, or wire fence-board, or woven wire of any kind, is 
that no tying up is necessary ; for when the grower 
pinches off unnecessary growths, he simply pushes the 
tops of the growing shoots, now this way and now that 
u-ay, back and forth through the meshes, and they will 
retain their places so on to the top, when they may be 
cut off, or tied in a bunch above the trellis and left for a 
shade, if the season is hot and dry. If the grower has 
plenty of tall, sUm undergrowth timber, he can cut long 
poles and nail these to the stakes ; but then he must do 
some tying up for these. Attend to this fastening up 
and pruning every week in growing weather. It will 
take, at least, four prunings to " lay a crop by ' ' in this 
thing. 

Y^u say this is too much work. Well, a great deal 
of it can be done in leisure times beforehand : and what 
can not, we can lessen a great deal by arranging to do it 
as conveniently as possible. Anyhow, a man must not 
growl about work, if he gets good pay for it. Try a few 
this way, and I venture you will soon see your Avay clear 



108 



LIVINiiSTOX AND THE TOMATO. 



to put more out so. Tonuitoes will be earlier, smoother, 
sweeter, cleauer. more easily harvested aud marketed, 
bring a better price, and nearly as nniny more ean Ite 
planted on an acre than for down-eultnre. and this saves 
fertilizers. The grower lias, also, far better control over 
his crop, to work with it : to mulch, or to remove mulcli- 




FKAMK riJKl.l.i- 



ing, as the season is ilry or wet : to apply spraying de- 
coctions, or mixtures, against enemies : and to regulate 
sun and air to the fruits. It is justly growing in favor 
with advanced and careful market gardeners. It is an 
advantage, too, if one wishes a succession of crops, as 
early, medium, late — especially for the last named. Frrtst 



TRELLISIX(J TOMAT<:)Ej 



109 



will not cut tliciii utt' so soon. Then, l)v removing the 
hnte plants witii a spade, when we reaeh the danger of 
frosts, they will be in full bearing, and by rolling together 
the twelve foot lengths of fencing, plants, roots and all, 
they can. with care, be put on a sled, hauled to a shed, 




HOOP TRELLIS. 



unrolled and set up again to ri[)en after others are gone. 
These will furnish fruits, quite fresh, till after holidays, 
and l»ring good prices. 

Tomatoes can l)e trellised on fences or on out-build- 
iuii's, or on ornamental frame wovk of any kind as easily 



110 LININGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

as can a grape vine, and in the same ways and forms. 
Only one thing remember, you must have rich soil, and 
it must be thoroughly worked before j^ou put the tomato- 
vine into it ; then water, trim and work well and you 
will get elegant results. Some enrich two or three feet 
square and tw^o feet deep mixing in unleached ashes, 
air-slaked lime and salt in the following proportions : 
one bushel each of the ashes and lime, to ten pounds of 
salt, and applying an inch and half of this mixture to 
each plat, and work it well into a full spade's depth of 
the soil. This will keep vermin of the soil out and act 
as a fertilizer. On this plat is laid around the plant four 
stout barrel-hoops of different diameter, then three or 
four stakes are driven into the earth so that the hoops 
can be nailed on or tied on them — the smallest at the 
bottom, the next largest a foot higher and so on to the 
top (see cut) only put two more hoops on than cut 
gives. Shingling-lath or poles can be nailed into squares 
or triangles or other shapes, and be employed as above 
with the hoops. The tomato is to grow up and spread 
out in these — trimming, tying up and cultivating as 
before described in tlie pai-agraplis immediately preced- 
ing this one. This plan is for home use mainly or for 
city -lot culture. 

Trellis ox Wire and Lath Combined. 

On the authority of the Ohio Experiment Station, 
I give the following plan for trellisi ng, as it recommends 
itself to my judgment, it is both cheap and practicable : 
row them three and a half to four feet apart ; trans- 



TOMATO CULTURE UNDER GLASS. Ill 

plant in the rows two feet apart ; set two strong posts 
at the ends of each row, and brace earefnlly ; set other 
stakes betw^een as may be needed, say every two rods ; 
take two wires, about the size used in baling hay, and 
stretch tightly between these end posts, three and a half 
feet from the ground; set now common plastering lath, 
one to each plant, w^eaving the tops between the wires ; 
tie or tack up the plant to these, and trim as before ex- 
plained. With care this is a neat trellis and staker 
combined and will last for several years. It is also 
cheap. 

50. Tomato Culture under Glass. — I have vis- 
ited thousands of hot houses in different parts of the 
land and taken many notes of use from those who 
manage them, which I am tempted to spread out upon 
the pages ot this book, but as my own personal experi- 
ences in this line are limited, I think it wiser for me, 
and better for my readers to peruse an article prepared 
by that well-know^n authority on this subject. Prof. E. 
C. Green, of the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station. 
I give his article in full, because in addition to culture 
under glass, he endorses in it many things already writ- 
ten in the preceding pages : 

Tomatoes as a Speing and Summer Ureen House Crop, 
by e. c. green. 
The prices that van be obtained for this crop in large quantities 
in most of the western cities are not suthcient to pay for forcing in 
midwinter. We have found, however, that the houses can l)e used to 
good advantage in growing a tomato crop after the season for let- 
tuce and other winter crops is over, and when the space is not 
needed for anything else. Working with this object in view, we 



112 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

use the house for other crops while tlie wiuter season hists and keep 
tlie tomato plants in as small a space as possible, which space is not 
large enough to be seriously missed. As a general rule, vegetable 
houses are empty after the middle of May and produce nothinu' 
after the lasts crops of radishes, and lettuce are taken oH. Vegeta- 
ble houses could in this manner, with almost no cost for fuel and no 
extra expense for filling ))enches with soil, l)e made to lu-oduce quite 
an increase in income, the main work l)eing the growing and train- 
ing of the plants. 

The demand for these house-grown tomatoes has ])een a con- 
stant surprise, and at no tmie have we had enough to meet it. In 
the midst of the strawberry and iasi»l)errv season tomatoes sold at 
fifteen to twenty cents per quart, qr aV)0ut double the price of 
berries. Tomatoes were shipped in from the south, l)ut did not 
seem to hurt the sale of those- from the greenhouse. l>eing inferior in 
quality and selling at lower prices. 

In order to get plants ready to set in tlie beds al»out the middle 
of March, or as soon as the second crop of lettuce is cut, the seed 
should be sown al)out the middle of December. If the seed is sown 
much earlier than this the i>lants will become too large, and are lia- 
l)le to injury l>y croAvding. No special care is needed in germinating 
the seed, but the young plants must hav.e good care. Tomato plants 
are like corn in that tliey need all the warmth and sunlight they can 
get, and at all times they should l)e kept in the warm part of the 
greenhouse and not allowed to get chilled. The soil should not be 
allowed to get dry, but excessive watering shoubl be avoided. They 
will thrive with less water than many other classes of plants. 

After the plants get their second or thir<l leaves they should be 
transplanted, and at least once more before they are large enough to 
be put where they will stand while fruiting. When transplante<l 
the first time the plants are set 2x2 inches apart, and 4x4 the second 
transidanting. The plants may l)e set in beds or in pots, Init for 
various reasons flats are preferred. These flats may be made of any 
convenient size. Init those in use here are 16x24 inches, and 2^ 
inches dee]). When the plants are set where they are to stand for 
fruiting they are planted directly in the soil 18 or 20 inches apart 
each way. Large pots and l)Oxes have been tried, but without any 
apparent advantage, although this custom is recommended for forc- 
ing in winter. Although sub-irrigation did not produce a marked 



TOMATO CULTURE UNDER (4LASS. 113 

eti'e'ct upon tomatoes, the beds where this system was in operation 
Avere watered with less trouble and more satisfactorily than those 
wliere surface watering was practiced. 

The last transplanting should be done sometime in 31arch, for 
after the middle of this month the l^enches cannot l)e used for lettuce 
protitably, as the houses are lial)le to get too warm, and the plenti- 
ful supply of hot-l>ed lettuce brings the price down ; but when the 
tomato plants are set out if good lettuce plants are set betAveen them, 
a fair crop of lettuce may be grown before the tomato plants ^jeacli 
any considerable size. But after the lettuce is off' the tomatoes 
should have the entire ground, and should be given a good mulch of 
fine manure, which will assist in holding the water that is ai)plied 
to the bed. After the lettuce is off", or perhaps before, the tomato 
plants should be trained to one or two stalks. 

To train the plants some support must be given, and wire or 
string is preferable to stakes. The top of the wire may be made 
fast to the rafters, and the bottom anchored by means of sharp 
wooden pins of hard wood driven into the bottom of the l)enches, or 
by wire stretched across near the surface of the ground. The plants 
must be tied to these upright strings or wires frequently as they 
grow. 

Pruning is another part of the work which is very important, 
not onlv to increase the size and earliness of the fruit, l)ut to get the 
largest yield possible on the smallest space, and to keep the plants 
in good shape. It is not the nature of the tomato plant to confine 
itself to a single stalk, and when compelled to do so its efforts to 
grow si'de branches are very i)ei"sistent. Not only will sprouts come 
out at the axil of each leaf, but the ends of the blossom stalks will 
develop into branches and even tiie upper surface of the nuiin vein 
of the leaves will throw out sprouts. All of these must be taken 
oft", or there will be a tangled mass of vines if the plants are very 
close together. 

Varieties. 

'^Tlie varieties that do well out of doors are the 
ones that will do well in the house. It is hest to raise 
the kinds that the market demands. The Acme' and 
Beauty are the l)est of the ]»ur]tle kinds that have been 



114 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

tested, althougli no better than some of the red sorts. 
Among the red kinds the Perfection and Paragon are 
good. The Lorillard, which has been highly recom- 
mended for forcing, has not done as well under our sys- 
tem as some others. The early, rough varieties are not 
desirable, as the pruning seems to make them more ir- 
regM.ilar. We have given the Atlantic Prize, one of the 
best of this class, a thorough trial, and have discarded 
it because it does not sell well. The same remarks ap- 
ply with even greater force to Hundred Day, King of 
Earlies and Salzer's Earliest of All. The Dwarf Cham- 
pion has some qualities to recommend it. The plants 
can be set closer too:ether and nearer to the ii'lass than 
other varieties. The hrst fruits that set are of fair 
size, while on some other varieties they are small. It is 
difficult to prune on account of the heavy leaves hiding 
the sprouts, and it does not yield heavily. The Golden 
Queen is one of the best of the yellow kinds, but there 
is little call for a yellow tomato in this season of the 
year. The Potato Leaf is the opposite of the Dwarf 
Champion as regards ease in pruning, as it grows very 
long and spindling. It does not yield heavily, but the 
fruit is quite shapely and of fair size. 

'^Besides the kinds mentioned, we have tried 
Ignotum, Matchless, Michel's ^ew, Livingston's Stone, 
but they have no qualities that render them more de- 
sirable than those first named. Bulletin 28, June, 1891, 
Cornell LTniversity Experiment Station, by Prof. L. H. 
Bailey, touches many points in tomato forcing not 
treated of in this paper, and will be found useful to 
those wishing to force tomatoes in mid-winter." 



TOMATO ENEMIES, DISEASES AND REMEDIES. 115 

Prof. Green thus advises tomatoes as a spring and 
summer crop under glass after lettuce and other pro- 
duct. It can then he forced with profit. He says : 
'^The essentials to he regarded are, (a) to have the 
plants sufficiently advanced to set in the beds about the 
middle of March, or as soon as the last crop of lettuce 
is cleared olf ; (/>) to prune off all the lower branches 
and suckers ; (c) to keep the plants tied up to sup- 
ports." 

51. Tomato Enemies, Diseases and Remedies. 

— It is encouraging to know, that as a field crop the 
tomato has fewer and less formidable pests than any 
other crop of so extensive culture. 

But it has some, and every grower will get ac- 
qainted with them (often to his sorrow), as the crop 
passes throuti-h its various stasres from sewinic the seed 
to the ripening of the fruit. We will mention some of 
them under their C(Miimon names, together witli such 
remedies as are good to use. 

52. "Damping Off.'' — I name this first, because 
you are likely, as a grower, to meet with it first. It is 
a trouble that manifests itself wliile the plants are 
young, by rotting them off near the surface of the 
ground. You will, observe them to bend over, wither 
away, and die. There is difference of opinion as to the 
cause of it ; but I favor the idea that cold, dark, damp 
weather encourages it. If there is added to it an at- 
mosphere that is foul to the tomato, such as one mijj'ht 



11(3 LIVIXGSTOX AND THE TOMATO. 

expect to find in a hot-bed iin ventilated or not aired out 
daily, one would expect to find such a result. If this is 
the cause, then the cure is better ventilation, more 
judicious li eating, and greater dryness. 

53. Cut-Worms. — If you })lant on sod-ground, or 
on an old pasture, plowed u}) (which is very good for a 
tom^ito crop), then look out tor cut-worms. Your 
plants will not be long in the ground until you will see 
that something has cut them oft' near the ground. 
Sometimes these are very destrnctive. just as thev are 
on corn. I consider it an advantage to plow late in the 
fall, and it will not hurt to jdow again in the spring. 
Tearing up the ground thus often, seems to destroy the 
worms, and generally u[»sets their designs upon a to- 
mato crop. 

If it is rememl)ered that the plants are set out in 
the fiekl quite a considerable distance a[>art : and that 
this worm does not eat oft* roots only l)y accident, but 
comes out at night to feed on the stalk, and that it burrows 
into the oTound ao-ain when his meal is over, leavino-the 
traces on the surface, where he went into it : then it 
will not seem such an insuperable task to go and hunt 
tliem out and kill tliem. They are rarely more than an 
inch down in the soil. A few hours" work will kill 
many, and save many a plant. Robins, yellow ham- 
mers, meadow-larks, l)hiejays, mocking birds, and 
quails, are very fond of these worms, and are generally 
friends of the grower. I encourage all laws tliat de- 
fend them, even if thev <h) feed on our clierries be- 



COLORADO POTATO BUGS. 117 

times. Soiiietinies I tliiiik they take these more for 
tlie worm in them than for the cherry. Toads should 
also be let alone in yonr fields, for they do no harm, but 
keep fat oh such pests as cut-worms. I know they are 
not particularly handsome creatures, yet upon more inti- 
mate accpiaintance with the toad, we are reminded of 
the old and true adage, '• Pretty is that pretty does." 
Besides he lias ways — real cute ways — of disposing of 
these worms; you only need to see him do it once to 
be ever after his friend. I know of nothing that can 
be put on the plant to kill these worms which will not 
also injure the [)lant. Slug-shot, stirred pretty liberally 
and thoroughly into the ground around the plant to the 
depth of an inch, will kill the worms, and act to some 
extent as a fertilizer for the plant. 

54. Colorado Potato Bugs. — We all know this 
bunchy beetle and how destructive his ravages are. We 
all know how he " does business on the first floor," em- 
ploying his whole family, from the least even to the 
oldest. Seems like they do all possible to push on the 
woi-k of destruction to its bitter end. But it does not 
relish the tomato as it does the potato, and so is not 
so bad on it, yet it does attack the tomato and do harm 
sometimes. Take an old fruit-can and punch holes into 
the bottom With a nail, or better with a round long 
l»uncli from the inside outward, fill with slug-shot or 
other insecticide and dnst the plants thoroughly while 
the dew is on them. It will then stick to them, kill the 
bugs, also cause the everlasting slugs to loosen their 



118 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

grip and l)ite the dust in the agonies of death. They 
can be treated in the same ways as are common when 
on potatoes. 

55. The Tobacco- Worm. — It is a laroe oreen 
worm, about three and n half inches long, and three- 
eighths of an inch in diameter. It has a hmghorn upon 
his rear back, and when disturbed he jerks himself from 
side to side, and twists himself about as though lie 
meant to do dangerous work with this horn, but it is 
like the feints of a drone-bee to sting, — it don't do any 
liurt. When tobacco was a great crop in these parts it 
was called the "tobacco-worm," but it is known mainly 
as the " tomato-worm " now. It feeds on leaves and 
green tomatoes mainly. During this last year — 1892 — 
it was the most formidable enemy that ever attacked the 
tomato in these regions. The iirst thing to do is to raise 
a good sized bed of petunias near the tomato Held, so as 
to have them in full blooiii by the time the tomato i)lants 
are growing nicely in the tiekh If you are al)out these 
petunia beds in the early evening, you will soon discover 
a laro'e miller — almost as laro:e as a hummino- bird — at- 
tracted by the sweet-scented flowers. He is in search 
of honey. If 3^0 u watch him closely as he hovers over a 
flower, you will see him unroll a long proboscis, two to 
three inches long and kept in a most beautiful coil under 
his i\ose when not in use, thrust it into the flowers and 
take up the sweets that are hid away in its depth. IS^ow 
while he eats thus is your opportunity, having a short, 
broad paddle in hand slap one on the other with said 



THE TOBACCO WORM. 119 

miller between them, or hit her a clip with one paddle 
hard enongh to kill a rat, for this dusty and lusty insect 
is the moth that lays the eggs which will hatch out in 
due time into tlie tomato-worm. Therefore visit the 
petunia beds each evening, and make the destruction as 
thorough as possible, for each one you destroy keeps 
many worms from appearing on the crops later. Two 
careful, spry boys or girls will, with a small rcAvard for 
each dozen millers they kill, thin them out wondrousl}'. 
But if the worms do appear upon the plants, as effectual 
a method for destroying them as any, is to put a thin, 
tough switch in the hands of the abovesaid boys or girls 
and direct them to give eacb one they see a quick, smart 
stroke which will cut them in two and destroy them. 
Reward them at so much a dozen and otter a slight 
premium for the one who gets the greatest number 
killed. Their sharp e^'es, nimble feet and agile hands 
will not fail to reach most of them with their switches 
and sever their connection with the tomato l)usiness 
forever. 

^N^ature usually provides to keep matters on a 
balance by raising one thing to feed on another. But 
man in his ignorance and folly interferes with these 
wise arrangements, and often destroys this balance. 
This I always think of when I see different parts of 
birds on ladies' hats, knowing that with the over-killing 
of birds will come the over-production of insects, i^ow, 
in regard to the destruction of this worm the grower 
has a formidable ally in a long-legged ground-colored 
tly. It covers the Avorm with small, white ego's or nits 



120 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

about one-sixteenth of an inch in length. This Hy 
stands hi2:h on her lesfs a few inches behind the worm 
while it is eating, and enjoying its repast so well that it 
is at peace with all the world, and suspects nothing; 
then quick as the bot-fly, it darts forward and fastens 
the egg on the flesh of the worm. Of course it makes 
heroic efforts to stab the fly to death with its bold-look- 
ing horn, while the fly stands hack in place unharmed, 
and apparently enjoying its safety, and success, and the 
prospect of another deposit soon. As soon as the 
worm forgets his sorrows, and, acting from the impulses 
of a voracious appetite, begins to eat again, the alert 
fly deposits another live egg upon its carcass. And so 
it keeps on until it sometimes literally covers the worm 
with eggs, which soon suck the life out of the worm, 
and it works tomatoes no more for a living. This is 
more important than mau}^ suppose, viz., not to kill 
these flys, nor destroy the worms which have the white 
eggs on them, for I have good reasons to believe that 
the flys usually deposits its eggs upon the female worms, 
and rapidly destroy^s the source of supply for lusty 
millers, and one-horned hungry worms. It is never 
mean assistance to get the help of the allies of nature 
in the destruction of the pests which prey on our 
growing crops. 

56. Tomato Blight. — Of this I have had no ex- 
perience, but^I see it mentioned in scientific writings 
about the tomato. I will give a quotation or two, giv- 
ing their [remedies, for this may prove helpful to my 
readers in some part of the country: 



TOMATO BLIGHT. 121 



A Remedy For A Tomato Pest. 

I inclose a tomato twig. You will help many by publishing the cause and 
remedy of its trouble, as it is next to impossible to raise tomatoes on this 
account. The vines are attacked in all stages of growth until the fruit is full 
grown. If a plant ripens its fruit without any sign of the trouble, it is not 
attacked.— [G. W. Wilgus, Takima county, W. T. 

The plant sent to me is affected by a little fungus known to bot- 
anists as Cladosporium fulvum. This little parasite grows in the 
tissues of the tomato and destroys all the parts with which it comes 
in contact. It is propogated by means of minute l^odies called 
spores. As a means of preventing it, I would suggest that tlie 
I^lants be sprayed, every two weeks during the growing season, witli 
a solution made by dissolving half an ounce of flour of sulphur to 
the gallon of water. The first application of this solution should be 
made before the disease appears, or when it is first noticed. The 
effect of the treatment is to x^i'event the spores from infecting the 
growing vines, and to do this care should be taken to reach all these 
parts with the spray.— [Prof. B. T. Galloway, United States Depart- 
ment of Agriculture. 

Mr. J. W. Da}', of Central, Miss., in his book, says: 
^'This disease is spreading very fast in the South where 
tomatoes are often grown in the same locality. It begins 
by the vine becoming wilted for a day or two, then the 
bottom leaves turn black and slough off. Sometimes 
the leaves turn yellow the first two or three days." 

*'The best preventive is to change patches every 
year,- as they are dead-sure to be affected with blight if 
you do not let the land rest a year or two between 
crops. There is some fungus in the vines, and rotting 
tomatoes left lying about, that literally impregnates the 
land with this disease, and blight will surely appear the 
next year. It is worse on a dry year than a wet one. 
It is often kept over on the stakes. These ouglit to be 
fumigated, or disinfected. Take crude carbolic acid, 



122 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

one part acid to twenty parts water, and sprinkle the 
stakes or trellising to be used again well with this 
mixture." 

Another thing I would at least guess to be an 
advantage, and that would be to gather up all affected 
or decaying vines or tomatoes and burn them, and to 
keep this work done up as closely as possible without 
destroying good vines or fruit. If any fungus disease 
appears in culture under glass, everything must be 
cleared out, the whole place disinfected, new soil, new 
plants and new supports found for them ; and to do this 
too, every fall. Again I would think judicious spray- 
ing would do good. Hope our Experimental Stations 
will tell us soon about it. It might be too, that fer- 
tilizers could be found such as potash lime and salt mix- 
ture which would destroy the fungus that causes this 
blight. By all means let us have some thorough exper- 
iments on it by our Southern growers and Experiment 
Station men. 

57. Black Rot in Tomatoes. — This, as its uAme 
indicates, is a disease that appears first at the blossom 
end of tomatoes, and is worst upon the earliest kinds. 
Later in season it usually disappears. Coming on the 
earliest it becomes the dread of Southern growers and 
all who aim for " earlies." The cause of it is not cer- 
tainly known, and I sincerely hope some ambitious 
experimenter will make himself justly renowned by 
learning and telling us all about this trouble. 



BLACK RUT IN TOMATOES. 123 

One writer .says : •' Suttieient critical attention has 
not been given to this question, yet there appears to be 
some truth in the idea that fresh stable manures tend to 
induce this fungus disease, hence chemical manures are 
to be preferred for this crop." 

We give also the experience of another as follows : 

What Causes Tomato Rot? 
g. h. maiiax, chenango co., n. v. 

It is variously claiiiied tliat this disastrous disease is the result of 
either extremes in temperature, an exceedingly wet or dry season, 
the using of plants grown from seed saved from a previously aifected 
crop, etc. Now, while I would not say tliat these causes may not 
tend to this effect, yet I am inclined to the belief, based on exper- 
ience, to attribute it more directly to the fact that the plants had 
suffered a sudden check at some period of their growth. 

Each spring I raise large quantities of garden and bedding 
plants, Tomatoes being one of the principal ones of the former. After 
being transplanted once or twice in the boxes or " flats " in which 
they are grown I usually set them in the open ground (juite closely 
together, removing them from there as wanted for selling. I usually 
try and leave a plant every three or four feet in the row to mature 
its fruit. 

The foregoing is what was done the past season, and now tlie 
point I am trying to make is this: plants were taken from this bed 
and removed to three different locations in towns widely separate, 
combining at least two very different soils, and in each instance 
three-fourths of the fruit borne on these vines were aifected with rot 
at the Vjlossom end, while the plants left remaining in the rows bore 
exceedingly fine fruit, perfectly free from the affection. Xow win- 
was it ? 

Certainly the season was the same in eacli case and they were 
all from the same seed. To my mind it was clearly the cause given 
above; that at the time they were taken from the bed and set out, 
tlie weather being very dry, the plants sustained a check in their 
growth which so weakened their vitality that they became an easv 



124 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

l)iv\ to tlieir most common ailment. Care should therefore be exer- 
cised at all times in settinu' such plants to arrange to do so in a wet 
or cloudy time and thereby remove the tendency to this fatal dis- 
ease. 

It is also said to be worse in a dry season. Xow 
the causes would sum up about this way : Stunting the 
plants by either extremes of cold or heat, too great 
change of temperature in transplanting, viz : from warm, 
uioist hot-beds to dry, cool frames, or to open lield, 
when cool and dry and without sufficient moisture at 
the time, and possibly fungus growths produced by too 
much fresh manures in the soil about the plants. The 
cure for this last would be to use chemical manures or 
at least well-rotted numures with which has been mixed 
hard-wood ashes, lime and salt. 

Tlie preventives 'for the others is best possible pre- 
X»aration of the soil by deep plowing, thorough pulver- 
izino-, iudicious fertilizino; and watchinof better the con- 
dJtions of heat and cold, and more care when transplant- 
ing. I submit also the opinions of others on '^ staking 
yp" as a means of preventing rot: 

Tomatoes ox Stakes in Wet AVeather. 

I notice that N. S. complains of his tomatoes rotting badly on 
the ground. 1 have not for many years been troubled in that way, as 
I have trained them to a single stake, and by pinching off three to 
five of the lower shoots and afterwards tying the leader firmly to the 
stake, the fruit is kei^t up and grown perfect. The stake needs to be 
a good one, al>out six or seven feet long, firndy driven into the 
ground. Of course, there is some work in this manner of growing 
the crop, but it has the advantage of growing a fourth to a third more 
jdants, getting the weeds out of the way easily, and having more 
iind finer fruit. — G. N. S., Welleslci/ Hill, Mass., in the American Garden. 



THE BURER. 125 

Tomatoes Trained to Stakes. 

Last spriuii" I eoiichuled to give the Perfection Tomato a fair 
trial oil stakes. I Jiad a garden in the heart of tlie city 150x180 feet, 
surrounded by a fence six feet high. On the sides facing east, west 
and south I set on May 25th, three hundred plants that had been 
well grown, and five-inch oak stakes six feet long by one-and-a-half 
inches square were driven into the ground beside each plant. 
The plant was allowed to grow but one stem, all side shoots being 
pinched off until the top of tne stake was reached. They require 
the pinching and tying four times during the season and set an aver- 
age of six clusters of tomatoes. Not one rotted and the flavor was 
so superior that we had as rea<ly sale for them for slicing as we 
found for our strawljerries, and at from ten to twenty cents per 
(juart when bushels were offered in the groceries at from twenty-five 
to sixty cents per bushel. The first ripe tomatoes were picked July 
21, and the last on Xov. 4th. For retail sales or family use I sliall 
never train in any other way. 

Steubenville, 0. 

The advantages of staking, or trellissing, become 
more and more apparent each year, and in each direction 
we may think of it. If the Black Rot is caused by any 
fungus growth, "staking up'' will permit of spraying 
to advanta2:e a^'ainst it. Always destnn- all tomatoes 
an^^l vines on which Rot appears. 

58. *'The Borer." — This is a short, stout worm 
that buries itself into the body of the fruit. It is the 
same as you see sometimes in sweet corn, inside the 
husk, and imbedded into the very kernel itself. This 
pest is worse in the South as it appears also among the 
cotton. It is moving northward, however, and is already 
showing symptoms of becoming an enemy to be feared 
by tomato growers. Its early destruction should be 
sought for by all diligently. 



126 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

Friend Day suo-gests to kill tlie motb at iiiii'lit by 
01)011 lio'hts ill the tield, into which thev 11 v, and are 
killed ; to spray with Aveak deeoetion of London pnrple, 
or sprinkle it dry on them. Init only a very little in a 
place, as it bnrns the leaves of tlie tomatoes: and to 
plant sweet corn along side of the tomato lield, as they 
prefer it above a tomato diet. They will gather on it 
and leave the tomatoes almost entirely alone. He also 
sno'S'ests to 2'ather all tomatoes which show si£:ns of crack- 
ino;, or evidences that the worm is in them, because it will 
bore into several tomatoes before it quits. These should 
be, when gathered, mercilessly destroyed. 

A few years experience will teach the grower iiincli 
about these pests and diseases. Let me suggest that you 
watch constantlv and carefuUv wViatever endan^'ers vour 
success. Remembei'. everything in this Avorld has its 
drawbacks : and every crop has its difficulties that beset 
it. The man succeeds best who learns as he goes on to 
lessen these more and more and to add to his business 
little advantages which increase his income. It only 
takes a few such leverages (>ver your competitors to tftrn 
the trade y(^nr way. Watch for them and work for them. 
It i>ays. 

59. Harvesting, Marketing, Shipping and 
Selling. — As these items of business occur together, 
we will describe together. Tlie tomato is perishable 
fruit and must be disposed of within ten days after they 
begin to ripen. To put it in round numbers, ripe fruit 
may begin to appear in one hundred days after seed is 



HARVESTING, ETC., FOR SHIPPERS. 127 

put into the ground. Many conditions of season, cul- 
ture and soil enter in to vary tliis time for " earliest of 
all " however, and you must remember that in building 
up your expectation. I see some seedsmen advertise 
kinds that will rii)en in seventy-five days after sowing 
the seed. While I do not discourage your trying a 
packet, I feel much safer in directing you to be ready 
to harvest in one hundred days, or even later. When- 
ever it does come, you must be ready to do (piick work. 
Get reports and keep posted on the markets. Have all 
boxes, crates, baskets and hands to use them, at com- 
mand, for even a day's time will lose, or make you 
money as you use it. 

60. Harvesting, etc., for Shippers. — Remember 
this is a time when you will be in a hurry. As one 
grower said to me, ^' It will be dollars to you often to 
get them into market (piickly." Long before the crop 
ripens then use up some leisure moments in securing 
four good, stiff peck-baskets for each picker you are to 
employ. Line tliem with felt paper or similar solt 
material and cover with muslin. This is to keep the 
rough parts of the basket trom bruising the fruit as it is 
picked into them. You cannot be too particular about 
keeping the fruit whole. It is always money to you to 
-get your fruit into market in the best possible condi- 
tion, and this means the most scru[udous care from first 
to last in handling it. 

Have ready four-(|uart and eight-(piart boxes, also 
tliree-pec'k and t"our-i)cck crates, such as are ordinarily 



128 LIVIXGSTOX AND THE TOMATO. 

used for shipping. Of course if jou can invent some- 
thing better and that will sell your fruit better, do not 
hesitate to use it. 

It will be necessary if you handle any great acre- 
age, to have a packing shed which should be roomy, 
light, dry and as handy as you can arrange everything 
to do the work well and quickly. 

For the first picking, each gatherer takes two of 
the lined peck-baskets, goes into the field and picks 
only those which are full-grown and all that show the 
least tinge of red at the blossom ends. • 

Put only the most careful hands at this work. If 
you must work some careless fellows, let them carry to 
the packing house and return Avith other empty baskets 
for the careful pickers. Direct these to push ofi' the 
stems and anything else that may be on them ; to place 
them — not throw or drop them, even for an inch — into 
the baskets. There must be no hraise-'i made in picking 
or getting ready for market or there will be black places 
when unpacked to sell, and this means either lower 
price or none at all. 

When the baskets are full, carry ^ not haul, to the 
packing house; and this suggests that it may be advisa- 
ble to locate it centrally in your field. In no case pour 
out of the baskets, but pick out with the hands ; wipe ofi* 
the dirt and sort into lots to suit your crop to the trade. 
Mr. Day, of Mississippi, has had about as much experi- 
ence as anyone else, and he advises to divide 'Mnto 
seven grades — ripes, mediums and greens, and each of 
these again into two grades, viz., into large ripes and 



HARVESTING, ETC., FOR SHIPPERS. 129 

small ripes ; large, iiiediuiu ripes and small, medium 
ripes ; large greens and small greens, while the culls 
make the seventh grade and are not to be shipped at 
all." As Mr. Day says of the above grading, they look 
better, sell better, keep better and pack better. 

If he who sorts them in the packing house arranges 
a set of six flat trays — one for each assortment — on some 
support about him at a convenient height, that is, in 
front of him, two trays, two on the right and two on the 
left hand, then by placing the full basket from the 
field betweeii him and the middle tray so that the top of 
it will be even with the top of the trays, lie can clean 
and sort into the trays rapidly and accurately, just as he 
removes them from the basket. He should he careful 
not to mix colors in same trays. When dry, they are 
packed into the boxes and crates, hurried away to the 
cai's fo fly by day and by night away to the Northern 
markets. 

When packed they should be marked on outside of 
crates just what they are, and in due time commission 
men and other salesmen will learn your brand and seek 
your stock. They can make more out of them and will 
give more for them. That the reader nuiy know how 
commission, men feel about this business, I will (piote 
from Mr. P. M. Kiely's " Southern Fruit and Vegetable 
Shippers' Guide and Manual : 

"The importaiu-e <»t' i>n>pcr haiulling, ];)acking, etc., is not 
properly estimated. If ripe Tomatoes are going to be gathered, 
be sure you put them in a separate box ; but ripe stock should 
not be sent forward unless you are only a few hours' ride from 
market. Even then thev arc hable t<» arrive ni bad order. 



130 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

(n'lU'ially r^pcakiiig, tlu' proi>er tiiiK' to gatlK'V and i)ark i:-: when 
tlu' tomato is full grown and Iteginning to rolor or ])artly colored, 
depending ui>on the time of tran?iit. The warm weather prevailing 
at the time will ripen them fast enough. You should not lose sight 
of the fact that a good many are wanted for re-shipment, and to l)e 
tit for this trade. t\\v best we iiave must not l)e fully ripe when they 
reach us. When ship})e<l by freight they must he gathered still 
sooner, when lull grown. l)efore coloring si'ts in. Freight is not de- 
sirable unless you have some assurance in regard to time. A good 
nuuiy come from the South hy freight that are almost worthless on 
arrival. Last year considerable came entirely too green ; that is, 
wei'e i)icke<l and sliip])ed bef»uv />'// r/ro/'//. and most of such stock 
arrived rotten. The regular ])each box ( one-third bushel > should 
1>e used. 

The l)est packing usually ai»i>earing in tlii.-« nuuki't (St. Louis) 
is that from Southei'U Illinois, where the most exju'riencetl grower.^ 
reside. Their packing is almost jierfect. No knotty, stunted, ovei- 
ripe. or otherwise imi>erfect stock should be put in the l)ox under 
any circumstances. The receijUs from that secti<»n are always sought 
by the shippers here in consequence. There is a very wide denuuul 
for theTonuito; all classes being i»urchasers as soon as the i)rice 
becomes reasonable. Tiie denuuid f(»r it is steadily on the increase. 

A great deal of money has been nuide ofl' the Tomato, not only 
in the South, but also North and East. The South is destined, how- 
ever, to renuun the most profitable region to cultivate them for com- 
mercial purpose-^. The im]>roved facilities and lower i-ates for 
reaching Northern or tlistaut markets, continue to atfbrd substantial 
encouragement. An acre of ground can be made to yield enormous- 
\\ ill ethcient hands; from one huiith-cd to four hundred biisjuds, 
according to circumstaiu'es. location, etc. Two hundred is, jterhaps, 
the limit in the v*<outh, aiul four hundred in the North. 

As to varieties, will say that tiie " Acme '" should head the list 
for this market, and for most other markets, too, as it is a universal 
favorite. Livingston's '"Beauty" and ''Perfection" close to it, and 
any smooth, round, medium-sized variety migh.t be added." 

SoiiiotiiiLe?^ they are wra})i)e(l like oranges in ])aj>er. 
I see almost none npon the northern markets in that 
style. I merely mention it here in i>assing. It shonhl be 



HARVESTING FOR SHORT-DISTANCE SHIPPERS. 131 

used for the first picking anyhow aiul also for tlie most 
fancy markets in tlie largest cities. It can be clone to 
advantage for this kind of a market. 

61. Harvesting, etc., for Short-Distance Ship- 
pers. — I refer to those not over twenty-four hours away 
from northern cities ; they might be called intermediate 
shippers. They need not harvest and shij* until the truit 
is riper. They will reach the markets in good shat)e 
and out-sell all the earliest varieties that come farther to 
market. These come in between those grown in the 
extreme south and the " first early " of the north, and 
certainly meet a good demand, but to get this trade the 
intermediate shipper must exercise great care in picking, 
packing and getting them promptly on the market. 
Pack tomatoes for this market at such a degree of ripe- 
ness that they will reach the market ripe. Place them 
tightly in the crate, so as to leave none loose, but do not 
mash them. Remove the stems and wipe each tomato 
with a cloth as they are put in. Make a special effort 
to have only the choicest fruit go to market. It may 
not seem to pay you, but persevere until you get your 
name up in some uiarket for alwaj's having choice 
products, and then your success is assured. Xot as 
much is made of this trade as might be by growers. 
Go to Southern Illinois and take some lessons. 

62. Harvesting, etc., for the Home Market 
Gardeners. — This is done, not for the tun of it, Init for 
the mone}' there is in it. This means, put up your stock 



132 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

or fruit in the best possible condition to be attractive 
and desirable by those that use them. I am aware that 
my readers are liable to get tired being told this thing 
so often, but I am also aware that the home market- 
gardener must not get tired doing this or he will suiter 
loss. The matter of first importance to him is to get 
ripe tomatoes a few days earlier, if possible, than most 
other people. If you can do this, you get the first run 
on tomatoes and impress it on the minds of all classes of 
customers, that you are '' well-up " in the business, are 
a careful man and expect to serve therii w^ell. To en- 
courage you in this, remember that most of the w^ork 
you do to get this result, will come before spring or 
summer work commences, when, in all probability you 
Avould not do much else anyhow, but it is just that much 
ahead of the ordinary time of working, that only a few 
will take the trouble then, to do what is necessary to have 
ripe tomatoes for the home market during the last days 
of June or the lirst of July, see paragraphs from 45 to 
51, for the culture necessary to attain this end. 

You will need the same preparations for your crop 
as are given in the last two paragraphs and such other 
as we may name as we go along. Gather these lirst- 
ripe, home-grown tomatoes into felt-lined baskets and 
handle them like eggs, with care. Carry them to the 
house and sort as before described, only into four grades, 
viz. : ripes and nearly ripes, and these again into larger 
and smaller. Ahvays cull out those -wdiich would hurt 
sales, ^ever put an inferior article on the market, it 
will pay you tar better to throw it away entirely, although 



HARVESTING FOR HOME MARKET GARDENERS. 133 

auy kinds of tomatoes are relished by liogs, cattle or 
poultry and if given in small feeds will do them good. 
The "earliest of all" should be put in berry-boxes and 
sold at the same price as strawberries. Of course, these 
will l)e mostly grown under glass; but raise a few this 
way because it lets you in ahead of others and gets the 
trade. The second " earlies " are to be assorted into 
one-quart and four-quart boxes or baskets. These 
should ahvays be rounded up well in the box, so as to 
look as full as possible, not to look like they would roll 
off. They should all be " faced up " in the boxes from 
the bottom to the top ; that is, put the tomatoes in the 
box wdth the blossom ends up, or all the stem ends down. 
Some people say this is not honest, but these same per- 
sons w^ould curry a horse well if they w^ere taking it off 
for sale. It seems to me perfectly legitimate to make 
our fruit as inviting as possible. Every young lad}' acts 
on this principle, and rightly too, for you and I, my dear 
friend, would not want to make a wife of a slouchy 
girl. But see to it that you do not put the nicest ones 
on top and the poorest in the bottom. That is a mis- 
representation and is not honest, nor will it pay. While 
it is right to make the most and best of what we have, 
it is not right to sell inferior for good and people will 
not be duped by us long in this or any other way. Sell 
in the one-quart boxes as long as you possibly can, tor 
there are thirty-two of them in a bushel, and at a few 
cents a quart you are getting a better price per bushel, 
than if you sold at bushel rates. You can do this too, 
because many only want enougli at this time of year for 



134 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

slicing for one day's use, and do not mind a niekle in* 
even a dime for a box of choice ones. Have some real 
ripe and some only lialf-ripe from which to till up the 
box. It pays to suit the customer's taste. Get them to 
market as early as possible ; but do not try to com- 
pete with the fruit away down South, as that would be 
useless. But my early tomatoes are picked fruit, and 
have a very different appearance and tlavor from that of 
the- South and I usually get very fair prices. As they 
get cheaper you can ]>ut in an extra one now and then, 
as it ma}' be appreciated, but you must not spoil your 
customers by being too free with donations. 

[N^ever empty a box or basket into a customer's 
market-basket ; always lift them out with the hands and 
••face them up" as they were in your own basket, then 
they will look as they are and also appear to be what 
he bought of you. It takes a little time, but if you say 
something a little cheery while you do it you will 
satisfv your customer and that o-oes a o-ood w^ays in 
bringing him back to you again. AVhether you sell 
from the wagon, or on the street from the table, aim to 
appear at regular times and as near in a given place as 
possible. The customers will look for you and wait till 
you come. This is the time to take orders for canning. 
There will likely be some very nice cracked ones among 
your fruit, especially during some seasons. ]N'ever put 
these in with the rest, but put in a lot by themselves 
and ^^ lump them oif" to some one who wishes bulk 
rather than quality and with a little reduction on regu- 
lar prices, you can turn them otf and get all they are 



HARVESTING FOR HOME MARKET (GARDENERS. 135 

worth. After this, as yuii approach to tlie Imlk of tlie 
ero[>, ii'atlier into boxes or crates, wliich you oiiglit to 
make yourself, so that they will tit your wagon and not 
jostle about in it, for this spoils tomatoes for cannino\ 
Also thev should hoM exactlv, when roundino- full a 
}>eek, a half bushel and a bushel. Take these directly 
to the lield and as you pick, rub otf stems and dirt, sort 
into the crates and as fast as full, place in the wagon. 
This saves handling, but does all necessary at once, and 
if picked and packed thus, when the w^eather is dry or 
nearly so, they will get to market in excellent shape. 
You can't gather so fast this Avay, l)ut 3^ou can get all 
done that ought to be done this way as fast as any and 
handle them but once. Of course, do not forget to 
''face up'' as already described. Observe the same rule 
about not turning them in the baskets or upon a cus- 
tomer's table. Talk nicely all the while, '' face them 
up'' in a nice neat pile upon the kitchen table and you 
will please this time and sell more readily at another 
time. Don't forget that a measure only level full will 
not sell one-half as cpiickly as one rounding full. 

The Inilk of the crop is sold for canning, and if 
you are tixed to handle a large quantity there is a 
handsome profit in it at thirty-live cents a bushel. 
When the height comes I go to the canning. houses and 
get a fair price, carrying them the very best quality and 
all uniform in appearance throughout. I have found 
that in whatever 3^ou are dealing and no matter with 
wliom, if your fruit or vegetables are just as fair and 
large at the bottom and middle of the package as at 



136 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

the top, the price will he better than in any other way. 
Persons who are accustomed to buying know at once 
how to rate their customers. Five cents or ten cents 
on a bushel makes a large sum in the aggregate, and 
will pay the buyer as Avell as the seller, if he knows at 
a glance what he is getting and can depend upon it. 
Start a wagon out over your city, and supply the poor 
with cheap, wholesome tomatoes, and still get a fair 
price for it at this time. 

As for late ones it pays well to aim to meet this 
demand. Some people never get anything done when 
it ought to be done, and so they will not get their to- 
matoes canned till the bulk of crop is harvested and 
sold ; if now one has nice fruit to sell then he can do 
so at a good figure. It will pay to risk hitting this 
market. It is not a question of ''can I sell them ?" but 
^'can I have them ?" See paragraph 49 for methods of 
culture, so as to get them with reasonable certainty and 
safety. 

One should keep favorably acquainted with com- 
mission men and the markets in difi:erent places, and 
often shipments can be made to advantage. On the 
advantage of late crops and sales I quote from the 
^'Maryland Farmer," as follows : 

" I raise a bed of tomato plants in the open ground for late 
planting. They are pretty fair sized plants about the first of June, 
and a quarter of acre in the field is reserved for them, Thej' come 
forward generally fnlly as well in proportion as the early plants. I 
have one pretty good picking from them of ripe fruit ; but as frost 
approaches they are usually loaded with good-sized green tomatoes. 
I have sold some of these green tomatoes, but I do not give that as 
much attention as I might, for I have something l)etter in view. 



THE USES OF THE TOMATO. 137 

" I have a good warm cellar of large (limensions, and acroj^.s tlii^ 
I stretch poles, just as for hanging tobacco, and I pull up the tomato 
vines l)y the roots, loaded as they are with green fruit, and hang 
them, tobacco fashion, on these poles in the cellar. 

" There they gradually ripen from the beginning of frost to the 
Christmas holidays, and when I go to town with my little stock and 
get my 25c or 30c or 35c a quarter of a peck for them, it pays. 

" If I had a big cellar, properly prepared for the WT)rk, I could 
coin more money from an acre of late tomatoes, with less actual 
expenditure of labor, than from any other crop that is grown in the 
vegetable line. 

" I give my brother farmers this item, trusting it will do them as 
much good as it has done me. I remember the first time I carried 
in a few bushels of these tomatoes, exjDecting a little spare change 
from them, and came back with $19.45 for them, I felt a great deal 
astonished at what I had done. But it has got to be a common 
thing now and I give it to you." 

63. The Uses of the Tomato. — I claim to be a 
" ladies' man " in the best uses of that phrase ; and I 
want to put something in my book for them. The uses 
of the tomato enters now into the daily food of nearly 
every family, in the city or in the country. It is both a 
vegetable and a fruit ; and has uses co-extensive with alt 
vegetables and all fruits. I know of no other one. gar- 
den or field crop that can be put to so many varied uses 
as the tomato, and still be so palatable to most appetites.. 

It may be canned for home use, or general markets,, 
as other fruits. It makes soups by itself, or with any- 
thing else used in this way. It makes excellent sauces, 
salads, catsups ; or pickles, sweet, spiced, and sour, green, 
ripe, or in mangoes. They can be sliced, baked, escal- 
loped, dried, fried, made into figs, stewed, or into any- 
thing else desired ; and it is a wholesome diet for sick or 



138 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOxMATO. 

Avell ; old or young ; rich or poor ; leisurely or laboring ; 
wise or otherwise ; saint or sinner. 

I here append some recipes, not for reading as much 
as for reference and to show the various and principal 
uses of the tomato. I do this with becoming modesty ; 
for a man feels about as awkward tellino: the ladies liow 
to cook, as a woman would feel were she to attempt to 
plow a straight furrow across a forty-rod field. I ought 
to say, too, that I have gleaned these recipes from all 
kinds of sources, but have submitted them to the judg- 
ment of competent cooks who declare them valuable and 
reliable. Use, if possible, only fresh, nice tomatoes, and 
you will be apt to get them if you secure as soon as 
they get cheap enough for you to invest in the quantity 
you wish to use. The last of the season are never so 
good as the first ; and especially after frosts have hurt 
the vines. 

Tomatoes for the Sick. — "The tomato is the l)est of 
all vegetables as an article of diet in sickness, e&peciall}^ 
in bilious diseases. I have heard that they contain calo- 
mel, or the properties of it, and Avas, therefore a medicine 
as well as an article of diet. AA^hen one is first beginning 
to recover from a bilious attack they can eat a tomato 
with a littl-e salt on it when the}^ can take nothing else, 
and if you don't like tomatoes try to learn to eat them, 
for it is a most useful taste to cultivate. I think it was 
the hardest task I ever set myself to learn to like them, 
but I was determined I would learn, and I did, and most 
sincerely thankful have I been since, particularly when 
recovering from an attack of chills and fever." 



TKE USES OF THE TOMATO. 189 

Mother's Sliced Tomatoes. — "Prepare half an hour 
before dinner, scald a few at a time in boiling water, 
peel, slice, and sprinkle Avith salt and pepper, set away 
in a cool place, or lay a piece of ice upon them. Serve 
iis a relish for dinner in their own liquor. Those who 
desire may add vinegar and sugar." 

Sliced Tomatoes. — "Scald ripe tomatoes; let them 
stand in cold water fifteen minutes. Then take off the 
skin and slice in a dish garnished w^ith sweet peppers." 

It adds to the above to employ tomatoes of differ- 
ent colors and serve in alternate layers, also choose those 
of about the same size, or otherwise put the largest lay- 
<ers in the bottom of the dish. 

Sliced tomatoes may be served with Mayonnaise 
salad-dressing which is made as follows : " Into the 
yolk of one raw (^^g stir all the olive oil it will hold ; if 
dropped in very slowly, half a pint of oil can be used ; 
season with cayenne pepper, salt and mustard." 

Raw Tomatoes. — Peel and slice with a sharp knife. 
(Tomatoes should always be cut just before using.) Lay 
in salad bowl and season with dressing, made in follow- 
ing proportions : Beat together four table-spoons vin- 
egar, one teaspoon each of salt and sugar, half as much 
mustard, and when these are well mixed, add gradually 
two tablespoons of best salad oil. 

Stewed Tomatoes. — " Scald l)y pouring boiling 
water over them, peel, slice and cut out all defective 
parts ; place a lump of butter in a hot skillet, ]>ut in 
tomatoes, season with salt and pepper. Keep up a lu'isk 
fi^re and cook quick as possible, stirring witli a spoon or 



140 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

chopping up with a knife (in the hitter case wipe the 
knife as often as used or it will blacken the tomatoes.) 
Cook half an hour. Serve at once in a deep dish lined 
with toast. When iron is used, tomatoes must cook 
rapidly and have constant attention. If prepared in tin 
or porcelain, they do not require the same care." — Mrs. 
Judge Cole. 

Fried Toynatoes. — !N"o.l. "Slice tomatoes quite thick; 
pepper and salt them; roll in flour; and t\y in equal 
parts of butter and lard. Put them in a dish to be served 
and keep hot. A little Hour and butter mixed; stir into 
the skillet with a cup of milk; boil until well thickened; 
pour over the tomatoes." 

Xo. 2. "Same as above, only after rolling the layers 
in flour dip them into beaten Qgg^ then fry, etc. These 
may be served with or without the flour, butter and 
milk dresssing named in Xo. 1." 

Tomato Toast. — "Run a quart of stewed ripe toma- 
toes through tlie colander; place in a porcelain stew- 
pan; season with butter, pepper, salt and sugar to taste; 
cut thin slices of bread, brown on both sides, butter and 
lay on a platter, and just as the bell rings for tea add a 
pint of good sw^eet cream to the stcAved tomatoes, and 
pour over the toast." — Mrs. S.Watson, Upper Sandusky. 

Tomato Custard. — ''This is recommended in the 
Modern Cook Book as a i>'Ood diet for invalids. Make 
a custard of four eggs, one quart of milk and one cup- 
ful of sugar; add one pint of stewed tomatoes, and bake 
quickly in small cups." 



THE USES OF THE TOMATO. 141 

Kscallojyerl Tomatoes. — No. 1. '^Put in a lettered 
baking dish a layer of bread or cracker cruml)S, seasoned 
with bits of butter, then a Iuxl^v of sliced tomatoes sea- 
soned with pepper, salt and ^sngar, if desired, then a 
layer of crumbs, aud so on till tlie dish is full, tini^hing 
with the crumbs. Bake from three-quarters of an hour 
to an hour. Onions, prepared by soaking over night in 
hot water, dried well, and sliced in nearly half inch 
slices, and browned on both sides in a frying-pan with 
butter, may be added, a layer on each layer of tomatoes." 

Xo. 2. ''Put altenuite layers of sliced tomatoes and 
bread cruml)s into a bread-pan; season with sliced onion, 
butter, pepper and salt; bake for one hoar." 

Baked Tomatoes.— ^o. 1. "Cut a thin slice from 
blossom side of twelve solid, smooth, ripe tomatoes; 
with teaspoon remove pulp without breaking shell: take 
a smalL solid head of cal)bage and one onion: choi> tine; 
add bread crumbs rubbed fine and pulp of tomatoes; 
season with pepper, salt and sugar; add a teacup of good 
sweet cream; mix well together; fill tomatoes, i>ut the 
slice back in its place, lay the stem-end down in a but- 
tered baking dish Avitli just eno'Kjh water (some cook 
without water), with a small lump of butter on each, to 
keep from burning, and bake half an hour, or until 
tnoroughly done; place a l)it of butter on each, and 
serve in baking dish. They make a handsome dish for 
the dinner table."— Mrs. S. AVatsox, Upper Sandusky. 

No. 2. "Fill a deep pan with ripe tomatoes (as many 
as will lie on the l)ottom), after first rounding a liole in 
the center of each and filling it up with bread cruml)S 



142 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

or crushed crackers, and seasoned with butter, salt, pep- 
per and sugar; Pour a teaspoonful of water in the pan, 
to prevent from burning. Bake brown, and send to the 
table hot." 

Broiled Tomatoes. — '^Take smooth, Hat tomatoes; 
wipe, and set on gridiron, with stem-end down, over 
live coals. When this is brown, turn tliem over and let 
cook until cpiite hot through; place them on a hot dish: 
dress, when eaten, with butter, pepper and salt." 

Tomato Soups. — Xo. 1. "Take a quart of canned 
tomatoes, add a pint of hot water, and when all boils 
add two spoonfuls of Hour, mixed smooth with a little 
cold water. Stir until it boils again, add an onion 
chopped fine, then let it cook for twenty minutes, stir- 
rino^ occasionallv. Strain throuo-h a sieve, add a o-ener- 
ous piece of butter, salt and pepper to taste, and a table- 
spoonful of sugar." 

Xo. 2. ''One quart of tomatoes, one quart of milk^ 
one quart of water. Boil the water and tomatoes to- 
gether about twenty minutes, and then add the milk; 
then (Uie teaspoonful of soda. Let it just boil up. Sea- 
son as you do oyster sou}), with butter, 2)ep})er and salt: 
add crackers if desired." — Mrs. Simon Gerhart. 

Xo. 3. "Meatless Tomato Soup: One quart tomatoes, 
one quart water; stew till soft; add teaspoon soda; allow 
to elfervesce, and add one quart boiling milk; salt, pep- 
per and butter to taste, with a little rolled cracker: boil 
a few minutes, and serve hot."" — Mrs. D. C. Conkey, 
Minneapolis, Minn. 



THE USES OF THE TOMATO. 143 

No. 4. ''Skim and strain one ii'allon of stock made 
from nice fresh beef; take three quaits tomatoes, remove 
skin, and cut out hard center'' [none is in my varieties]; 
"put throuii'h a fine sieve, and a(hl to the stock; make a 
paste of butter and fiour, and, when the stock begins to 
boil, stir in half a teacup, taking* care not to have it 
lumpy; boil twenty minutes, seasoning with pepper and 
salt to suit taste. Two quai'ts canned tomatoes will an- 
swer." — Mrs. Col. Reid, Delaware, Ohio. 

No. 5. ^'Maccaroni with Tomatoes: Take three pints 
beef soup, clear, and put one pound maccaroni in it; boil 
fifteen minutes, with a little salt, then take up the mac- 
caroni, which should have absorbed nearly all the liquid, 
and put it on a fiat plate and sprinkle grated cheese over 
it thickly, and pour over all plentifully a sauce made of 
tomatoes, well boiled, strained, and seasoned with salt 
and pepper." 

Tomato Pie. — Xo. 1. Southern Tomato Pie — "For 
one pie, peel and slice green tomatoes; add four table- 
spoons vinegar, (^ne of butter, three of sugar; fiavor 
with nutmeg or cinnamon ; bakewitli two crusts slowly. 
This tastes very much like green a[>ple pie." — Mrs. 
Ceba Hull. 

No. 2. Mutton Pie and Tomatoes — •♦ Spread the 
bottom of a baking dish with bread crumbs, and fill with 
alternate layers of cold roast mutton, cut in thin slices, 
and tomatoes pecle<l and sliced; season each layer with 
pepper, salt amf butter. The last layer sliould l)e toma- 
toes spread with bi*cad crumbs. Bake threc-([Uarters of 
an hour, and serve immediatclv." 



144 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

lS[o, 3. Beef Pie and Tomatoes — "Scald the toma- 
toes; skin and quarter them, and sprinkle with salt and 
pepper. Buiy the meat in a stew-pan with tomatoes; 
add bits of butter rolled in flour, a little sugar, and an 
onion minced fine; let cook until the meat is done and 
the tomatoes dissolved into a pulp." 

Ham with Tomato. — "When you are tired of cold, 
boiled ham, tr}' cooking it this way: Cut the ham in 
rather thick slices; put in your stew-pan one can of to- 
matoes which have been run through a colander; add a 
little chopped onion and celery; stew half an hour; rub 
a tablespoonful of flour into one of butter; add this to 
your sauce; season to taste; let it boil up, then put in 
the ham and cook five minutes." 

Tomato Pr^eserves. — Xo. 1. Preserved Tomatoes — 
"Take one lemon and one pound of light brown sugar, 
to one pound of tomatoes. Grate the thin yellow rind 
of the lemon, then pare off the thick white j^art which 
is not to l)e used, slice it thinly, and remove all the seeds. 
Scald, and peel the tomatoes. Put water enough with 
the suo'ar to dissolve it, and wlien it is boiling remove 
the scum and add the tomatoes. Cook slowly for two 
hours." 

'No. 2. Green Tomato Preserve — "To one pound of 
fruit use three-quarters of a pound of granulated sugar. 
Allow one sliced lemon to two pounds of fruit, first 
tastinor the white of the lemon to be sure it is not bitter. 
If bitter, use the yellow rind, grated, or shaved thin, 
and the juice. Put the sugar on with just water enough 
to melt it, add the tomato and lemon, and cook gently 



THE USES UF THE TOMATO. 145 

until the tomato is tender and transparent. Cnt the to- 
matos around in halves, and then quarter the halves. 
This shape is preferahle to slices. This will kee}> with- 
out sealing', hut it is l)etter to put it in small jars, as it 
is so rich that only a little is wanted at a time."' 

1^0. 3. " Scald and peel carefully small, perfectly 
formed tomatoes, not too ripe (Yellow Pear or Plum- 
shaped and Gold Ball are the hest), prick with a needle 
to prevent hursting, add an equal amount of sugar l)y 
weight, let lie over night, tlien pour oil" all juice into a 
preserving kettle and boil until it is a thick syrup, clari- 
fvino^ with white of an e^'s:, add tomatoes and hoil care- 
fully until they look transparent. A piece or two of 
root ginger or one lemon sliced thin to a pound of fruit 
and cooked with the fruit niay l)e added.*" 

No. 4. Tomato Figs. — " Allow half a pound of cof- 
fee-sugar to every pound of t<uuatoes. The yellow 
plum tomatoes, or the very small and perfectly smooth 
red ones are preferred for this method of preserving. 
Put the sugar on the stove with just water enough to 
melt it. As soon as it l)oils, put the tomatoes in whole 
with the skins on. Draw the kettle V)ack where they 
will simmer gently. Cook until transparent, about two 
hours. Skim them out carefully, and drain oli all the 
syrup. Spread them on platters to dry, in the sun, if 
possible. Sprinkle a little sugar over them while dry- 
ing, and the next day turn tliem, and sprinkle again 
with sugar. Do so for two or three days. When sulh- 
ciently dry, pack in l)oxes. Seven pounds of tomatoes 
will make two quarts of figs." 



146 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

No. 5. " Tomato Jam. — Take one-half pound of 
sugar to one pound of tomatoes, put together in a stone 
jar and let stand twenty-four hours, then take off the 
juice and strain it; put it into a porcelain kettle, bring 
to a hoil and skim ; then put in the tomatoes with a 
handful of stick cinnamon tied in a cloth ; stir all the 
time. About ten minutes before removing from the 
lire, take out the cinnamon and add one teacuptul of 
good vinegar to one gallon of jam. Boil until the jelly 
will not separate." 

Xo. 6. Tomato Butter. — Among all the "butters" 
so famous on the old-fashoned farm tables, we fancy 
tomato butter scarcely found a place. A Pennsylvania 
housewife recommends it. For a trial mess, "take two 
and a half quarts of tomatoes and three quarts of apples. 
Stew separately until smooth, mix well, and add three 
[)Ounds of sugar, one tablespoonful of cloves and twice 
as much cinnamon. Boil until thick enough to suit the 

taste." 

Canned Tomatoes. — "These are merely stewed toma- 
toes sealed in cans while hot. Some points to remem- 
ber are that freshness is necessary ; that overripeness is 
a fatal defect, and that the later tomatoes are never so 
good as those which ripen earlier." 

A bushel of our kinds will put up fourteen to eigh- 
teen cans, while our mothers used to get only eight to 
ten cans from a bushel of the best sorts, and usually 
about half of these would spoil in consequence of a 
green core. It makes a great difference whether or 
not you have kinds to can that are smooth, solid and 
which ri})en early. See paragraph 28 for kinds. 



THE USES OF THE TOMATO. 147 

Xo. 1. "Tvomatoes should be canned in August, 
when the fruit is in the best condition. It is highly 
important tliat the fruit should be perfectly sound and 
not too rii)e, for a single spot of decay will contain a 
sufficient number of ferment-germs to spoil the entire 
mass. 

"These are the most reliable methods: 

'^Have a large kettle of rapidly-boiling water on 
the stove. Wipe the tomatoes, fill a wire basket with 
them and plunge it into the boiling water until the 
skins begin to crack. Then plunge into cold water, and 
remove the skins and the hard part under the stem. 

"Mash thoroua'hlv and let them boil quickly until 
perfectly soft, but not enough to evaporate all the liquid. 
Then season as for the table. To every quart, allow one 
teaspoonful of salt, one salt-spoonful of pepper and half 
a cup of sugar. Cook live minutes longer, then till the 
jars almost full. Have ready some butter, melted, 
strained and boiling hot, in the the proportion of one 
tablespoonful to every jar. Fill to the brim with the 
hot V)utter and seal at once. Olive oil may be used 
instead of Ijutter. AVrap the jars in paper and keep in 
a dark place. Examine the jars after two weeks, and if 
any of them show signs ot ferment, turn out the con- 
tents and treat as directed in making catsup, wliich 
see. " 

Xo. 2. ^^ Prepare as in the tirst recipe, but season 
only with salt. Let them boil down until quite thick, 
then till the jars nearly full, add boiling water to the 
brim and -eal at onee. Be careful that no seeds or [uilp 



148 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

run over the edge between the glass and the rubber. 
Keep the jars wrapped in paper, in a cool place. Use 
these only for soups and sauces. '^ 

^o. 3. '^ The tomatoes must be entirely fresh and 
not over ripe ; pour over them boiling Avater, let stand a 
few minutes, drain off, remove the skins, slice crosswise 
into a stone jar, cutting out all the hard or defective 
portions. (If my varieties are used, no need of this.) 
Cook for a few minutes in their own juice, skimming 
off the skum which rises and stirring with a wooden 
spoon or paddle ; have the cans on the hearth tilled with 
hot water, empty and fill with hot tomatoes, wipe mois- 
ture from top with soft cloth, put on and secure covers. 

" If tin cans are used, press down covers and pour 
hot sealing wax in grooves. If put up in glass, put 
away in a dark place. Either tin, glass or stone cans 
may be used and sealed with putty instead of sealing- 
wax, it being more convenient." 

No. 4. Canned Corn and Tomatoes. — " Scald peel 
and slice tomatoes (not too ripe) in the proportion of 
one-third corn to two-thirds tomatoes, put on in por- 
celain kettle, let boil fifteen minutes and can immedi- 
ately in glass or tin. (If glass, keep in the dark.) 
Some take equal parts of corn and tomatoes, preparing 
same as above, others after cutting corn from the cob, 
cook it twenty minutes, adding a little water and stir- 
ring often ; then prepare the tomatoes as above, cook- 
ing in a separate kettle five minutes and then adding 
them to the corn in the proportion of one-third corn to 
two-thirds tomatoes, mixing well until they boil up 
once and then can immediatelv. — Mrs. D. Buxton.. 



THE USES OF THE TOMATO. 1-1:9 

Tomato Pickles.— ^o. 1. Ripe Tomato Cold Pickle— 
"Sixteen medium-sized ripe tomatoes, four small green 
peppers, four small onions, all chopped fine. Then add 
one cup of vinegar, one cup of sugar, and half a cup of 
salt. Mix thoroughly, and put up cold."' 

Xo. 2. Uncooked Tomato Pickle — ''Cut one peck 
of green tomatoes in quarter- ineli slices, sprinkle over 
them one cup of salt, and let them stand twenty-four 
hours. Then drain very dry. Slice twelve small onions 
thin. Mix one small bottle of prepared mustard, two 
tahlespoonfuls of ground cloves, one tablespoonful of 
ground pepper, and one of allspice. Then into the jar 
in which the pickle is to be kept, put alternate layers of 
tomato, spice and onions, until all is packed. Cover 
with cold vinegar, and let them stand until the tomato 
looks quite clear, when they are ready for use.'" 
\j' Xo. 3. Green Tomato Pickle — '-Chop enough green 

tomatoes to make a gallon, sprinkle over them half a cup 
of salt, and the next morning drain and squeeze dry. 
Add one teaspoonful each of cinnamon, cloves, whole 
mustard seed and celery seed. Pour on vinegar enough 
to cover, and boil twenty minutes.'' 

Xo. 4. ^hole Tomatoes for Winter Use — ••Fill a 
large stone jar with ripe and perfectly sound, whole 
tomatoes, adding- a few cloves and a sprinklino: of sui^ar 
between each layer. Cover well with one-half cold vin- 
egar and one-half water. Place a piece of thick flannel 
over the iar, Icttins: it fall well down into the vinea'ar, 
then tie down with a cover of brown paper. These will 
keep all winter, and are not hiirmed even if the flanne 
collects mould.'" 



150 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

Xo. 5. Kipe Tomato I'icklos — '^Paro ripe, t^oinid 
tomatoes (do not scald); put in a jar. Scald spices (tied 
in a bag) in vinegar, and pour while hot over them. 
This recipe is best for persons who prefer raw tomatoes." 

No. G. Ripe Tomato Tickle — ^'Pare and weigb ripe 
tomatoes, and put into jars and just cover with vinegar. 
After standing tliree days pour ott the vinegar and add 
live pounds coffee sugar to every seven })Ounds of fruit. 
Spice to taste, and pour over tomatoes, and cook slowly 
all day on back of stove. Use cinnamon, nnice and a 
little cloves, or not any, as preferred." 

Xo. 7. French Tomato Pickles — ^^One peck green 
tomatoes sliced, six hirge onions sliced: mix these and 
throw over them one teacup of salt, and let them stand 
over nio-ht. Next dav drain thorouii'hlv, and boil in one 
quart of vinegar, mixed with two quarts of water, for 
tifteen or twenty min.utes. Then take four (piarts vine- 
gar, two pounds lu'own sugar, half pound white mustard 
seed, two tablespoons ground allspice, and the same of 
cinnamon, cloves, ginger and ground mustard. Throw 
all together and boil tifteen minutes." — Mrs. 1*resident 
R. B. Hayes. 

No. 8. Green Tomato Pickle — ''Take eight pounds 
green tomato and chop tine, add four pounds brown 
sugar and boil three hours ; add a quart vinegar, a 
teaspoonful each of mace, cinnamon and cloves and 
boil about fifteen minutes, let cool and put into jars or 
other vessels. Try this recipe once, and you will try it 
again." — Mrs. W. A. Croffet, New York City. 



THE USES OF THE TOMATO. 151 

No. 9. Piccalilli — " One peck of green tomatoes 
and one head of cabbage chopped fine ; mix with them 
one large cup of salt, put all into a coarse cheese-cloth 
bag, and let it hang and drain over night. Then chop 
six large onions and four green pe2:)pers, mix them with 
the tomatoes and cabbage, pour over them enough hot, 
weak vinegar to cover and drain again. The next 
morning scald the same amount of good sharp vinegar, 
and pour over them, add two tablespoonfuls of whole 
mustard-seed, and when cold it is ready to use." 

Ko. 10. Piccalilli — One peck green tomatoes, 
sliced ; one-half peck onions, sliced ; one cauliflower, 
one peck small cucumbers ; leave in salt and water 
twentv-four hours ; then put hi kettle with handful 
scraped horse-radish, one ounce tumeric, one ounce 
cloves (whole), one-fourth pound pepper (whole), one 
ounce cassia buds or cinnamon, one pound white mus- 
tard seed, one pound English mustard. Place in kettle 
in layers, and cover with vinegar. Boil fifteen minutes, 
constantly stirring." 

No. 11. Sweet or Spiced Tomato Pickles — " Four 
quarts cider vinegar, five pounds sugar, one-fourth 
pound cinnamon, two ounces cloves to seven pounds of 
fruit." (Think about half-ripe tomatoes will give best 
satisfaction here). "Scald the vinegar and pour over 
the fruit. Pour oft' and scald vinegar twice more at 
intervals of three days, and then cover all close. A 
less expensive way : Take four pounds sugar to eight 
of fruit, two ounces cinnamon, one ounce cloves, one 
teaspoonful salt, one teaspoonful of allspice." 



152 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

Toiiiato C(if-'<ifps. — Xo. 1. '' One peck of ripe toma- 
toes, four larg'e onions sliced, three-fourths of a cup of 
salt, tliree tablespoonfuls of hhick pepper, one table- 
spoonful of red pepper, one tablespoonful of allspice, 
half a tablespoonful of cloves. Mix all together, and 
stew them until very soft, about two hours. Just be- 
fore taking from the tire, add one quart of vinegar, and 
rub throuii'h a colander. Put on to boil a^'ain, then 
seal at once." 

Xo. 2. " Stew the tomatoes until soft, then to 
everv o-allon of stewed tomatoes add one-fourth of a 
pound of salt, one-fourth of an ounce each, of red pep- 
per, pimento, and garlic, one-half of an ounce of ginger- 
root and of cloves. Stew all together until reduced 
enough to pour easily, then strain into bottles, and seal 
with wax."' 

Xo. 3. Cold Catsup — '• Peel and chop fine half a 
peck of ripe, sound tomatoes. Grate two roots of 
horse-radish, and chop fine one cup of onions. Mix all 
well, and add one cup of salt. Bruise half a cup each, 
of black and white mustard seed in a mortar, and mix 
with them two teaspoonfuls of black and one of red 
pepper, one tablespoonful each, of mace and cinnamon, 
and two teaspoonfuls of cloves, one cup of sugar, and 
one quart of vinegar. Mix all these ingredients very 
thoroughly, and put it into jars. 

Xo. 4. Tomato Catsup — '• One peck of ripe toma- 
toes, cut up, boil tender and sift through wire sieve ; 
add one large tablespoonful ground cloves, one large 
tablespoonful allspice, one large tablespoonful cinnamon. 



THE USES OF THE TOMATO. 158 

one teaspooiit'ul cayenne pepper, one-fourth pound salt, 
one-fourth pound mustard, one pint vines^ar. Boil 
gently tliree hours. Bottle and seal while warm." 

Xo. 5. Tomato Catsup — " One gallon tomatoes 
(strained), .6 tablespoonfuls salt, three tablespoonfuls 
black pepper, one tablespoonful cloves, two tablespoon- 
fuls cinnamon, two tablespoonfuls allspice, one and one- 
half pint vinegar ; boil down one-half. One peck toma- 
toes will make one gallon strained." 

Xo. 6. Tomato Soy — " One-half peck tomatoes, 
one large pepper cut tine, one large onion cut in slices, 
one tablespoonful each of ground allspice, black pepper 
and celery seed, one-fourth cup of salt, one-half pint of 
vinegar. Boil all together slowly one hour; cool, and 
bottle for use." 

Xo. 7. Green Tomato Catsup. — '' One peck green 
tomatoes, one dozen large onions, one-half pint salt ; 
slice tomatoes and onions. To layer of these add layer 
of salt ; let stand twenty-four hours, then drain. Add 
one-fourth pound mustard seed, three desertspoons 
sweet oil, one ounce allspice, one ounce cloves, one 
ounce ground mustard, one ounce ground ginger, two 
tablespoonfuls black pepper, two teaspoonfuls celery 
seed, one-fourth pound brown sugar. Put all in pre- 
serving pan, cover with vinegar and boil two hours. 

^o. 8. "Half bushel tomatoes, four ounces salt, 
three ounces green peppers, one ounce cinnamon, one- 
lialf ounce ground cloves, one drachm cayenne pepper, 
one gallon vinegar. Slice the tomatoes and stew^ in 
their own liquor until soft, and rub tlirou£:h a sieve fine 



154 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

eiioug'h to retain seeck and boil the pulp down tu the 
consistency of apple butter (very thick), stirring steadily 
all the time to prevent burning ; then add the vinegar 
and a small teacup of sugar and the spices, boil up 
twice, remove from the stove and let cool to bottle. 
Those who like onions, may add a half dozen medium 
sized ones peeled and sliced about fifteen minutes before 
the vinegar and spices are put in." — Mrs. M. M. Mun- 
SELL, Delaware, O. 

No. 9. '' Take one bushel fine, ripe tomatoes, wipe 
them off nicely and put in porcelain kettle. Place over 
fire and pour over them about three pints water, throw 
into it two large handfuls of peach leaves with ten or 
twelve onions, or shallots cut fine ; boil till tomatoes are 
done, or for two hours ; then strain through a course 
mesh sieve, pour the liquid l)ack again into the boiling 
kettle and add one-half gallon good cider vinegar, have 
ready two ounces ground spice, same ground pepper, 
same mustard, whole ; one ounce cloves, two grated nut- 
megs, two pounds light- brown sugar, one pint of salt ; 
mix well together, put in kettle and boil two hours, 
stirring continually to prevent scorching. If it is de- 
sired to "hot," add cayenne pepper to your taste. When 
cool, fill bottles, cork tightly, seal with wax, keep in a 
dry, cool place." — G. D., Baltimore, Md. 

No. 10. " Take one gallon of strained tomatoes, 
four tablespoonfuls of salt, one and a half of allspice, 
three of mustard, eight pods of red pepper; grind the 
articles fine, simmer slowly in strong vinegar three or 
four hours, then strain through a hair sieve, and bottle. 



THE USES OF THE TOMATO. 155 

Enough vinegar should be used to have half a gallon of 
liquor when the process is over." 

Ko. 11. " Cut up ripe tomatoes, hoil soft and strain ; 
put them on again and boil half down ; then to every 
three and a half gallons of juice, put twelve tablespoon- 
fuls of salt, six of pepper, one of allspice, one of mustard, 
one of mace, one-half of cloves, one of ginger, six small 
pods of red pepper chopped fine ; boil hard one hour." 

No. 12. " To one and a half bushel of tomatoes use 
the following spices : Three ounces of cloves, two of all- 
spice, a little cayenne pepper and plenty of black ^^ep- 
per and salt, and a pint of vinegar to each gallon ; tie up 
a few onions in a bag and boil with the catsup; boil 
half down." 

No. 13. " One-half peck of Tomatoes, run through 
a sieve ; one teacupful of salt, one of mustard seed, 
six red peppers, three tablespoonfuls of peppers, one- 
half gallon of vinegar, piece of horse-radish, one tea- 
cupful of nasturtions, half a cup of celery seed. Do 
not cook, but seal tight in bottles." 

No. 14. Tomato-Mustard — " Take one peck of 
tomatoes, cut them into a porcelain kettle, boil until 
soft, rub through a sieve, put the pulp back in the ket- 
tle, and boil until quite thick ; take one teaspoonful of 
cayenne pepper, one of white, half a one of cloves, two 
of mustard, one tablespoonful of salt. Let all boil 
together a few minutes, then stir in half a i)int of 
vinegar. When cool, bottle and cork tightly." 

Tomato SalaiL — " Take the skin, seeds and juice 
from nice, fresli tomatoes, chop what remains with 
celery and add any good jialatable dressing." 



15(i LIVTN(;STON AND THE TOMATO. 

Tomato S<u<<-(. — Xo. 1. '^ Place (^ii iire, t()iiiatoes 
wasliod clean, broth, onion, parsley and seasonings ; 
boil to a pnl}) — about thirty-five minutes ; rub through 
tine sieve, return to fire, stir in butter, and serve." 

Xo. 2. '' Pare, slice and stew tomatoes for twenty 
minutes, strain and rub tlirough a sieve ; put into sauce- 
[)an with a little minced onion, parsley, pepper, salt and 
sugar. Bring to a boil, stir in a gi^od spoonful of but- 
ter rolled in fioor ; boil u}> and serve.'' 

Xo. 3. " StcAv ten tomatoes with tliree cloves and 
salt and pepper for fifteen minutes (some add a sliced 
onion and sprig of [)arsley), strain through a sieve, put 
on a stove in a sauce-pan in Avliich a lump of butter the 
size of an egg, and level tablespoonful of fiour have been 
well mixed and cooked ; stir all until smooth, and serve. 
Canned tomatoes may be used as a substitute." 

Xo. 4. "For green tomato sauce, cut up two gal- 
lons (^f green tomatoes, take three gills black mustard 
seed, three tablespoons dry mustard, two and a lialf of 
black pepper, one and a half of allspice, four of salt, two 
of celery seed, one ([uart each of chopped onions and 
sugar, and two and a half quarts good vinegar, a little 
red pei)per to taste." 

Tomato Omfhitc. — " Skin two or three tomatoes, 
cut in slices, fry in butter, beat up some eggs to make 
omelette, season with salt and pepper, warm some but- 
ter in }>an, }»ut in tlie eggs, stirring well to keej) from 
adhering, mix in tomatoes, turn out omelette on plate, 
doubling it in two. Another nice way is to roll up 
tonuitoes in omelette and serve with tomato-sauce." 



THE EXTENT OF TOMATO CULTURE. 157 

There is one tiling all tomato-eaters should remem- 
ber, that the flavor of a tomato is very delicate. It 
escapes readily with much handling, sliaking, knocking 
or haulino; about. Get it and consume it Avhen it comes 
as directly from the vine as possible. Let market- 
gardeners also catch the hint. Hurry to the kitchens 
of your customers with as much care and celerity as you 
can. They will taste all the better, and so increase the 
demand for your productions. I do not believe, that 
the full use to which tomatoes can be put, has as yet 
l)een attained. I sincerely ask all expert or amateur 
cooks, who have a good way of using them, to send us 
the recipes for same, and it will And a place in our 
next edition. I heartily commend such to try other 
methods of using tomatoes, as may be suggested to 
them; and, if they prove valuable, let us know about it. 

64. The Extent of Tomato Culture. — My read- 
ers will be impressed with the greatness of the business 
about which I have written, by statements like the fol- 
lowing: "It ranks next in importance to that of Irish 
potatoes. It is well for us to know the best methods of 
cultivation, so as to produce the greatest quantity, with 
])est quality, and when we need them mostT I hope this 
book will meet that felt necessity to a reasonable degree. 
*'A single county in Maryland has over |1,000,000 in- 
vested in the canning business." 

"The people of Cobden, III., are }»articularly proud 
of their tomato crop, and on this poi>ular vegetable the 
town 'does herself big.' She has been known to shi]* 



158 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

thirty-three carloads of tomatoes in one day, and this 
does not inekide several carloads hauled over to Moun- 
tain Glen, a town on the Mobile & Ohio Railroad, and 
within a few hours after this great train load was sent 
off, at least fifty carloads more could have been picked." 
From the Virginia Experimental Station, as follows: 
"Few are aware how important the cultivation of special 
crops is now^ becoming in Virginia. In all the Eastern 
States, in fact, the tendency of agriculture is in the direc- 
tion of specialties, and the tiller of the soil who would 
not fall behind in the race must recognize this fact. • As 
one among such special crops, the culture of tomatoes 
holds a hi2:h rank. Statistics sufficient to srive definite 
information in reqard to the i^ioney value of this crop in 
Virginia have not yet been collected by the Station. 
Judging, however, from general statements, there must 
be in this State no less than eighty^ and probably as many 
as one hundred, canneries working on this crop, either 
alone or in conjunction with other fruits. In addition 
to this, the market crop grown in the vicinity of Xorfolk 
and on the Eastern Shore, will reach about one-half the 
value of that used in the canneries. Hence, it seems 
fair to say that the value of the tomato crop grown for 
these two purposes alone — for the canneries and for 
market — cannot fall short of one nuUion dollars annually. 
This takes no account of Avhat is grown in a general 
way for local markets and home consumption. As 
already stated, the estimation is not based upon an accu- 
rate knowledge of facts, but there is every reason to be- 
lieve that it is w^ithin bounds." 



THE EXTENT OF TUMATU CULTURE. 159 

Prof. W. H. Bishop, Horticulturist of the Marylaud 
Experimental Station, has the following to say of the 
business in that State: ''To-day the tomato may be 
classed as one of the most important garden vegetables, 
and, in fact, its culture has so far extended beyond the 
limits of the garden that it is rather a tield crop than a 
garden crop. In Maryland alone there are not less than 
twelve thousand acres yearly devoted to growing this 
crop, and only about one- fourth of the acreage of the 
country is found in this State. There are two hundred 
packing houses in this State that devote the whole or 
part of the season to canning tomatoes. The promi- 
nence and magnitude of this industry have induced us 
at the Maryland Experiment Station to give special at- 
tention to the questions affecting the grower and packer." 

The growing of tomatoes is fast spreading into 
newer countries for the older countries to consume, as 
the following clip from a recent number of the ''x\meri- 
can AiJ:riculturist'' will show: "Elibrts are beino^ made 
to establish a trade for South African tomatoes and po- 
tatoes in London. Tomatoes would be needed in the 
London market during January, February and March, 
and potatoes during February, March and April, and it 
is urged that the latter be grown in red soil where pos- 
sible. The London vegetable dealers are prepared to 
pay from one and one-half to two cents per pound for 
tomatoes, which would pay tlie farmers, one of whom 
guarantees to supply from eighty to one hundred tons of 
the Acme and Perfection varieties.'' It also shows wliat 
kinds are reachins: from American soil to Lon(h)n mar- 



160 LIVINUSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

kets, and then from "the survival of the fittest" there, 
finding its way into "Darkest Africa." 

I now quote in full from the "American Grocer" of 
Xew York, January 11, 1893. This need not he read, 
hut is placed here for reference, to show what the l)usi- 
ness was when this volume was written : 

Tomato Pack— 1892. 

" We take pleasure in presenting our thirteentli 
annual report of the pack of tomatoes throughout the 
United States and Canada. The total output is slightly 
hehind that of 1891, the shortage amounting to 38,673. 
It appears, however, that the total output is above the 
average of the past six years and slightly hehind that of 
the past three years. It is apparent that the present 
consumptive requirements of the country are beyond 
the average annual pack for six years of 3,179,214 cases. 
It is certain that the total output of 1892 will have 
passed into consumption long before another season's 
operations have commenced. Had it not been for the 
very favorable weather toward the close of the season, 
throughout Xew Jersey, the shortage would have been 
much larger. In the AVest there was a great falling off 
in the output. Wherever a shortage occurred, it was 
due to unfavorable climatic conditions. 

" We separate the report of Canada from our usual 
tables this year because that market is practically closed 
to the United States. The pack in Canada this season 
was comparatively heavy. Tomatoes are selling in 
Canadian cities at 75 cents per dozen. Were it not for 



THE EXTENT OF TOMATO CULTURE. 161 

the duty of 45 per cent, they might be available for use 
ill the United States. Here is an instance of the wis- 
dom of the McKinley tariff in protecting American can- 
ners aa'ainst the competition of Canadian packers. 

'^ Throughout the season there has been an unsat- 
isfied demand for high grade goods. It is gratifying to 
note that there is a steadil}' widening market for tine 
brands and that consumers evidence a willingness to pay 
for qualityj even if some jobbers are reluctant to dis- 
criminate between standards and extra, to the extent 
packers deem -remunerative for the extra expense their 
packing involves. There has been a difl^erence of from 
10 to 25 cents per dozen between the price of brands, 
due wholly to variations in quality and the estimation 
put upon brands by the retail trade and consumers. 
Established labels that have represented high and uni- 
form quality command full prices. 

" As usual our statement is based on actual returns 
received from packers and commission merchants, to all 
of whom we return thanks for their prompt answers and 
willingness to institute special inquiries. The following 
table, the pack of 1892, in comparison with that of 
1891." 



162 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

PACK BY STATES. 1892. IJ^Ol. 

New Jersey 862,092 950,83;^ 

Maryland 977,742 744,010 

IiHliana 282,717 341,217 

California 2.".0,943 21 8,31 1 

Delaware 175,700 264,950 

New York 146,290 114,774 

N'ir^qnia and West N'irginia (2UU0) «)0,386 98,o()0 

Iowa 57,500 94,800 

Ohio 87,840 90,590 

Misscniri 64,621 90,350 

^licliigan 39,602 73,506 

Illinois 42,200 68,324 

Kansas 30,833 50,700 

rtah 55,000 

Nebraska 2,210 26,900 

Pennsylvania 18,950 15,000 

Conneetient •. 14,750 14,400 

Colorado 39,262 12,600 

Massachusetts ({,557 10,000 

Kentucky 2,200 10,000 

Arkansas •.>,500 14,500 

Tennessee 6,840 

Texas 100 4,500 

North Carolina 1,5 3,JK)0 

South Carolina 7,500 

Alal>anui ],170 

Cec.r-ia ]L',400 3,000 

Total United States 3,223,165 3,322,365 

Canada 143,627 83,000 

Total United States and Canada 3,,366,792 3,405,365 

" The above table represents the minimum number of cases 
packed. ]Many new factories Iiave been started in the Southern 
States and some of them have not reported. The total output in 
1892 compares with the pack of previous years as follows: 

Cases of Two Dozex 
Tins Each. 

1892 3,366,792 

1891 3,405,365 

181»0 3,166,177 

1889 2,976,765 

1888 3,343,137 

1887 2,817,048 

Total for six years 19,075,284 

Average per rear 3,179,214 

Average per years 1890-1 8i»2 3,312,778 



THE EXTENT OF TOMATO CULTURE. 163 

'' Since our last we have chronicled the death of 
Mr. Harrison W. Croshy, to whom belongs the credit of 
first introducing canned tomatoes, packed in tin cans, 
as an article of trade. He lived to see the industry 
expand from an experimental point until it was located 
in nearly every State in the Union. Mr. Crosby's first 
pack was put up in 1848, while he was a steward at 
Lafayette College, Easton, Pa. A common iron sink 
was used as a bath. What great advantages have been 
made in the application of steam and machinery, 
whereby the cost has been reduced from 50 cents per 
can, at which prices they sold in 1848, to an average of 
7 cents per can for the past seven years ! Demand has 
increased and the supply expanded, while the cost has 
steadily declined." 

Market Review. 

"The year opened with confidence in the market. 
Although the pack of 1891 was the largest for years, it 
was not beyond the requirements of the country. It 
was aj^parent early in the year that there would be no 
carry over, as in the days gone by, when new season's 
goods were met by tomatoes anywhere from one to four 
years old. The Western Packers' Association held 
about 80,000 cases at tlie beginning of the year. In 
March the trade began making contracts at 87J cents 
delivered for N^ew Jersey brands. April was a quiet 
month so far as sales for future delivery were concerned; 
the spot market was inclined to easier figures. 



1434 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

"In May there was renewed demand for contracts. 
Early iu the month a favorite New Jersey pack was sold 
at 85 cents, delivered here. Harford County No, 8 
offered at 75 cents per dozen net casli f. o. h., and Xo. 2 
tins at 57| cents. !San Francisco reported sales for fu- 
ture delivery at 75 cents, less IJ percent, for No. 3 tins. 
In June offerings were light, hut prices did not advance. 
Sales on contract were freely made at 75@77J@80 cents 
f. o. 1). Harford County. ^ During the summer spot stock 
continued scarce and high. In July Xew Jersey hrands 
sold at 871 cents and "])ela^^'a^c hrands at 85 cents for 
forward delivery. San Francisco cpioted 80@82i cents. 
Some fears were ex[)ressed at this time as to the crop, 
there ])ein2: too mucli I'ain and too manv huii's. Late in 
the month the nuirket for futures was 2 J cents higher. 
Spot stock also improved, so that 90 cents was ohtained 
in Baltimore and 92i@95 cents in New York. August 
opened with free sales of futures at 87j@9i) cents foi- 
New Jersey brands; 82 J(« 85 cents for Harford County. 

"Deliveries of 1892 tomatoes commenced ahout the 
middle of August, causing a dro[» in ([notations for spot. 
The quality of the tirst shi[tment was not of a high order. 
Eeports (hiring August were not favorable for a large 
pack, particuhirly in the Western States. Drouth caused 
an active demand to spring up, brokers reporting heavy 
sales in early September, chietly from the West. Sales 
were made at 80 cents eash, f. o. h. Harford County, for 
large blocks. The market was tirm throughout the 
month, with liii-ht offeriuii's, as drv weather continued 



THE EXTENT OF TOMATO CULTURE. 165 

and fears were expressed for tlie result in tlie Atlantic 
Coast States. 

^'Toward the close of September and early in Octo- 
ber, the weather in ]S'ew Jersey, Delaware and Maryland 
was very favorable for tomato vines, the canneries run- 
ning full time and some working nights. This weather 
continued for some time, so that the estimated shortage 
ill the pack was overcome. The market continued to 
rule in packers' favor, as it was apparent that the total 
supply was to be behind that of the previous year. 
Xinety to ninety-two and a half cents was readily paid 
in Xew York for jSTo. 3 standard, while 85 cents cash f. 
o. b. was the lowest price in Harford County. In Xo- 
vember some of the heaviest operators in the country 
reported their stocks the smallest held at that time for 
several years. The demand continued good until the 
close of the year. Prices ruled in sellers' favor and 
closed firm at one dollar, at whicli price sales were made. 

" The following range of prices for the year in Xew 
York, Philadelphia and Baltimore will convey an idea 
of the condition governing the market throughout the 
year. The figures represent prices for good standard 
No. 3 tins, and generally represent grades of that quality 
and not such as are regarded extra." 



166 



LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 



" The following table gives the range of prices for each month in 
the year for standard No. 3 Tomatoes in New York, Philadeli^hia and 
Baltimore : 

N. Y. ctN. J. No.3. Philadelphia. Baltimore. 

January SO 85 (a> 90 $0 75 (a "I $0 75 (a 80 

February 82^ ^r 90 77i (7r 80 80 (a 82^ 

INlarch / 85 Qt 90 • 80 (a, 82^ 80 @ 82^ 

April 82^ @ 87A 80 % 82^ 80 @ — " 

IVIay 82i (n 85 80 (w 82| 80 @ — 

June 85 ^^, 87i 82^ (a 85 82J @ 85 

July 87-^ (^ 92^ 82^ 0^ 85 85 (Jr 90 

August 90 (a 92 J 85 ^/ 87.i 85 (S — 

September 90 (^ 95 77* ^ 80 82i (a 90 

October 90 Qi 92* 82* (7r 85 87^ (a. 90 

November 90 (^; 92^ 85 Qh 87i 90 («^ — 

December 92^ Q, 1 00 87^ (o; 90 90 (a 1 (>0 

" The following table gives the highest and lowest prices for 
standard grade of Tomatoes in No. 3 tins in the New York market 
for seven years : 



{ 1892 $0 82* (7* 1 00 

Highest 1891 80 85 

1890 77J @ 1 00 

and -] 1889 82* (S 88 

1888 90 (^ 1 05 

Lowest. 1887 95 (^ 1 10 

1886 88i @, 1 15 



"The following table brings into comparison the price of No. 3 
standard Tomatoes in Philadelphia on January 1, each year for the 
past nineteen years : 



Jan. 1 — 

1893 

1892 

1891 

1890 

1889 

1888 

1887 

1886 

1885 

1884 



, 75@ 
.75(5 



95 

80 

80 

75 

92* 

97* 

90" 

90 

75 

80 



Jan. 1 — 

1883 

1882 

1881 

1880 

1879 

1878 

1877 

1876 

1875 





00 




22 




10 




20 




90 




90 




70 




50 




30 



THE EXTENT OF TOMATO CULTURE. 167 
NEW JERSEY. 

''Xew Jersey loses its place as the banner JState, 
Maryland taking that lienor. The output in 1892 was 
862,692 eases, falling oft' from the preceding year 88,141 
cases. The season opened about a week later than in 
1891. Most of the liouses opened between Auo\ 20 and 
Aug. 25, while some did not commence operations un- 
til early in September. The packing closed at most 
places between Oct. 15 and Oct. 25. The first settino- 
of fruit was marketed in good shape, but the second 
setting was injured by dry weather, and for a time fears 
were entertained for the pack, but late in the season 
climatic conditions were exceedingly favorable ; so much 
so that the expected shortage was reduced to the small 
quantity noted above. .Messrs. Ivirby Bros, and Mrs. 
Sarah Aldrich, of Burlington ; Messrs. Brown & Dunn, 
of Trenton ; the Diamond Packing Co., and West Jersev 
Packing Co., of Bridgeton ; Chamberlain & Co., of 
Mercer County, are among those who discontinued work 
during the 3'ear. Among the new factories was the 
Hopewell Valley Canning Co. at Hopewell." 

DELAWARE. 

'' Delaware falls behind last year 89,250 cases on 
account of drouth. In some sections of the State the 
pack was very liglit. about (»ne-half that of previous 
years. The factories opened between Aug. 20 and the 
first of September, and closed between Oct. 15 and 27. 
The old firm of Calhoun and Thoroughbred was termi- 



168 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

mited by the purchase of Mr. Thoroughbred's interest 
by Geo. C. Calhoun. Their factory is located at George- 
town. J. X. Maxwell operated the factory formerly 
run by Carsins & Maxw^ell. The factory of A. W. Small, 
at Lincoln, was operated by Thomas U. Marvell. Among 
the factories discontinued were Macklin & Co., at 
Georgetown, Thomas Dutton, at Redden and one at 
Shelbyville/' 

NEW YORK. 

"The packing in this State did not begin until 
about tlie first of September, although one or two 
houses started operations a few days earlier, and some 
not until the middle of September. The pack termina- 
ted early owing to frost. Many houses packed none. 
The Xew York State Preserving Company, at Buifalo, 
was discontinued. The factory at Fairport, formerly 
o[)erated by C. c^ II. J. Burlingham, was operated by 
Howard Thomas.." 

MARYLAND. 

" There were (piite a number of factories discon- 
tinued in Harford County, during the past year, Avhile 
we have added a few names. The packing opened early, 
some houses o:ettino" at work durino: the first Aveek in 
August. The season terminated at various dates in 
October, some houses not closing until nearly tlie end 
(^f the month. Some of the packers report a yield of 
400 bushels of fine Tomatoes per acre. One of the 
packers writes that he finds it very profitable to sow 
seed as early as Fehruar}', and to get strong plants out 



THE EXTENT OF TOMATO CULTURE. 169 

al)Out the Hrst of May. lie is of tlie opinion that the 
early grown fruit is far superior to the late erop. Taken 
altogether, the season in Harford county must he con- 
sidered a good one. Had it not heen for drouth the 
pack in Harford county would have been heavier. In 
some sections the yield was cut down one-half by dry 
weather. The pack of the city of Baltimore was ahead 
of last year. It reached a total of 373,000 cases. We 
do not count in the Baltimore estimate, Tomatoes pack- 
ed out of the city, but carrying the label of Baltimore 
packers." 

CALIFORNIA AND UTAH. 

" The season opened about the first of September and 
closed the latter end of October. One house reports not 
having closed until the lirst of December. Utah figures 
in our table for the first time. Three factories in the 
Territory report an out-put of 55,000 cases." 

INDIANA. 

" The season in this State opened early in August 
and terminated during the last half of September. 
There were a number of new factories in the State, one 
each located at Seymour, Ewing, Xorth Indianapolis, 
KnightstOAvn, Monticello and Spiceland. Several facto- 
ries in this State packed an average of 30,000 cases each." 

ILLINOIS. 

'' The pack in Illinois was 26,124 cases behind that 
of last year. The season opened late — not until the 
last part of August, and closed during tlie last fortnight 
of October. The cro^) was poor. 



170 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

IOWA. 

" This State fVills behind last year 37,300 cases. Tlie 
season opened toward the end of August and continued 
until the latter part of October. The factory of The 
Potter Canning Company was removed from La Motte 
to Wyoming. The factory at Fairfield was discontinued." 

MISSOURI. 

'' Most of the factories commenced work about the 
first of September. One or two began operations during 
the early part of August. There was a new factory at 
Odessa and also one at Independence." 

KANSAS. 

'' The crop was hite. Several factories did not 
pack so that there was a deficiency of 19,867 cases as 
compared with the small total of last year." 

THE SOUTH. 

" There have been a large number of small factories 
started at various points in the Southern States. As a 
rule, these houses turn out a small quantity, say 1,000 
to 1,500 cases, for which they find a local market. One 
factory in Georgia commenced in July and stopped in 
October Avith an output of 5,000 cases. Another in 
North Georgia also packed 5,000 cases. One of them 
put up 25,000 cases of peaches. The factory at Gritfin, 
Ga., was discontinued. In Alabama the Tomato crop 
w^as a failure and almost nothing was done in Texas 
and Arkansas." 



THE EXTENT OF TOMATO CULTURE. 171 

OHIO. 

'' The croi^ was very good in quality, but deficient 
in quantity. The season commenced from the 5th to 
the 20th of August." 



VIRGINIA. 



" There were quite a number of factories discon- 
tinued during the year. The season opened all the 
way from the first to the hUter part of August, and 
closed at various dates in October. There Avas only a 
partial crop." 

From the above report, which is as accurate as is 
available, we may learn that the consumption of Toma- 
toes is ahead of the productions averaged for the last 
six years. Also that the production fell short last year 
and the stock on hands will be consumed lon^ before 
the new ones come into market. This means, as we 
reason, that the Tomato growing and canning business 
is likely to be good for several years to come. 

Another thing is clear from tliis report, viz : That 
" high grade goods " are in demand. (3f course there 
is more ri^k to aim for this, but there is also more gain 
if you can make it win. 

The prospect for Tomato eultuiv, in my Judgment, 
was never more fiattering. There is no end to newer 
and better developments in tlie business in kinds, cul- 
ture, appliances, harvesting and selling. I was much 
interested in a statement in a recent number of the 
Rural Xew Yorker, as illustrative of " somethino^ new," 
which I here irive as follows: 



172 LIVINGSTON AND THE TOMATO. 

" It occurred to the writer last year tliat the Tomato 
might possibly he induced to become a tuber-bearing 
plant, lie reasoned that the Tomato berry or fruit is 
structurally the same as the potato l)erry or fruit ; that 
the wild potato bears very small and very few tubers, 
while it bears lots of fruit ; that cultivation alone has 
reversed this, causing a maximum of tuber and a mini- 
mum ot fruit. According!}^ several Tomato plants set 
out last May have been disbudded as soon as the buds 
have appeared. The plants have grown to twice the 
usual size of those which are allowed to bloom, and to 
bear all the fruit they will. The effect on the roots is 
not yet known. Probably such plants will have to be 
propagated by cutting through several or many seasons, 
never allowing them to bloom, before it can be decided 
whether the Tomato maj' or may not be forced into a 
tuber-bearing plant. The suggestion is offered to our 
station experimentors for what it may be worth." 

Would it not be strange indeed, if in a few years 
we were to have tuber-bearing Tomatoes as common 
on our markets, and as much sought after as tlie Irish 
potato is now? And yet stranger things have happened 
than this ! I trust the Rural and other reliable papers 
will follow this up till it is known Avhat can be done 
for us all in this line. 

AVell, we have now been too-ether for a lono- time, 
a whole season through, over these Tomato affairs in the 
world. I trust you have been not a little interested in 
reading and icHl be not a little profited by trying to do 
the things I have suo-o-ested to yon on these pages. 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 



NO. PAK.\(il:.VPH. PA(;E. 

Acme Tomato 5 25 

Author's Life 9 

Introduction 17 

Aims 2 20 

Baked Tomatoes (io 141 

Beauty Tomato 9 31 

Black Hot 57 122 

Bliglit 5() 120 

Broiled Tomato " (;H 142 

Borer Worm o^ 125 

Buckeye State Tomato 15 4L 

Butter of Tomatoes <>.•> 146 

Canning (io 146 

Canners, Kinds for 29 65 

Extent of ()4 157 

Catsups, Kinds for 80 65 

How made <).") 152 

Cold Frames H7 78 

Colorado Potato Bug 54 117 

Crossing Kinds 19 47 

Culture in Barrels 48 104 

of Field Crop 42 93 

Under Glass 50 Ill 

Implements for 41 92 

hy IMulching 43 95 

Pruning on Down 44 95 

Trimming on Stakes or Trellis 47 101 

by Staking Up 45 96 

by Trellising 41) 105 

by Tying Up 4() 97 

into Various Strains 20 49 

extent of 64 157 

" D'amping ofi'" 52 115 

Diseases 51 115 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 

NO. PARAGRAPH. PAGE. 

Enemies 51 115 

Escalloped Tomatoes 63 141 

Extent of Business 64 157 

Family Use, Seeds for 27 64 

How vSown 32 66 

Ways to Cook 63 137 

Farmers Raise Own Seed 22 54 

Favorite Tomato 8 30 

Figs of Tomato <)3 145 

Field Crop Culture 42 93 

First Tomato 1 19 

For the Sick 63 138 

Frames, Cold 37 78 

Fried Tomatoes 63 140 

Gardeners — Kaise their own Seed 22 54 

Kinds to Grow 28 65 

Marketing 62 131 

Gold Ball Tomato 14 39 

Golden Queen Tomato 7 29 

Gi own under Glass 31 65 

in Barrels 48 104 

on Stakes 45 96 

on Trellises 49 105 

on Ground 43 95 

Harvesting, etc ()0, 61, 62 : 127 

Hints to American Seed Tra<h> Association 23 57 

Home Uses, Kinds for •. 27 64 

How to Cook 63 137 

H otbeds — Common 33 70 

More Extended 35 74 

Circular 36 77 

Sowing Seed in 34 72 

Implements for Cultivation 41 92 

Jam of Tomatoes 63 146 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 



,^. , „ NO. PARAGRAPH. puiF 

Jvinds, How to Get 3 '>! 25 ' aq 

Will They Run Out ? ' 'V. f. ' ig " ' ' ' ' ' ' ' " " ' ' ^g 

Crossing Them 19 

Strains of 9q 

Can I Raise Mv Own Seed ? 99 



47 
49 
54 
57 
64 
64 
65 



Why Not a Standard ? 23 

For Shippers 26 

For Home Uses 27 

For IMarket Gardeners 28 

For Canners 29 

For Catsups and Preserves 30 

To Grow under Glass 31 

Marketing, etc 59 

For Shippers Oo, 61 ^ 

For Home Gardeners qo " ' jj,. 

Marker, The ' 39 

Market Gardeners, Grow Own Seed ? 22 

Kinds for Them 28 

My NeAV Method o 



65 
65 

126 
127 
131 

39 83 

54 

65 
00 



42 
37 



^>M- Dwarf Aristocrat Tomato 1(3 

New Stone Tomato 12 

Omelette ao 

Paragon Tomato ^ .^ 

Peach Tomato, Large Rose 1 - tI 

Perfection Tomato ^^ ^ 

Piccalilli .>o *" 

Pickles t 151 

™ 63 14Q 

Potato-Bugs, Colorado 54 /*^ 

Potato-Leaf Tomato n 

Preparations of Soil 



35 



38 82 



65 



Preserves, Kinds for oq 

How to Make ^o 

Profits Vi 

24 p(\ 

Pruning— Down-Culture 44 ^l 

up-cuiture ;;;;; 47 ;;;;;;;;;;;; ^^^ 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 

NO. PARAGRAPH. PAGE. 

Queen, Golden, Tomato 7 29 

Remedies for — Damping off 52 1L5 

Cut- Worms 53 116 

Colorado Potato Bug 54 117 

Tobacco-Worm 55 118 

Blight 56 120 

Black Rot 57 122 

The Borer- Worm 58 125 

Rot, Black; 57 122 

Rose Peach Tomato, Large 17 -14 

Royal Red Tomato i:} 38 

" Run Out," Will They? hS 46 

Salads, Tomato ' 63 155 

Sauces, Tomato 63 156 

Seed (see Kinds( 23 57 

Selected Stock Seed 21 51 

Selling Under Seal 10 34 

Selling, etc 59, 60, 61, 62 126 

Sick, Tomatoes for .^ 63 138 

Shipping, etc * 59, 60, 61 126 

Sliced Tomato 63 139 

Sketch of Author's Life 9 

Soil, Preparations for Plants 38 82 

Sowing Seed 32 66 

Soups ^ 63 142 

Staking Up 45 96 

State Tomato, Buckeye 15 41 

Stone Tomato, The New 12 37 

" Strains " of Kinds 20 49 

Toasted Tomatoes 63 140 

Tobacco-Worm 55 118 

Transplanting 40 87 

Trimming 47 101 

Trellising 49 105 

Tying Up 46 97 

Uses of 63 137 






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